TIRUPATI: The Phase II works of the Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) Project are expected to gain momentum, with officials submitting a revised proposal, including realignments, for administrative approval from Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who also chairs the Andhra Pradesh Wildlife Board.
Once completed, the Rs 5,013.62-crore project aims to provide irrigation to more than 2.6 lakh acres across Kadapa, Tirupati and Nellore districts. It will also supply drinking water to around 5 lakh people in Tirumala and Tirupati.
Although the initial proposal was submitted during the previous YSRCP regime, officials alleged inaction by the then-chief minister, stalling the project. The current administration, under Naidu’s leadership, has now submitted its report to the Chief Minister’s Office seeking clearance for the construction of the Sri Balaji and Mallemadugu reservoirs.
GNSS Phase II includes excavation and construction of the Main Canal and the Chitvel Branch Canal in Kadapa district, intended to irrigate 40,000 acres. The project is considered vital for Rayalaseema’s development, and its revival is expected to bring much-needed relief to farmers and residents in the region.
The main GNSS canal runs 334 km from the Gandikota Reservoir to Nagari. Progress was halted in 2020 due to pending Wildlife Board clearance. Following the change in government, officials proposed a revised canal alignment to supply water to the tail-end areas in Tirupati district. The new alignment aims to avoid costly urban land acquisition, alienation of reserve forest land and disruption to commercial crops.
Proposals for the Sri Balaji and Mallemadugu reservoirs — priority works under GNSS Phase II — were submitted in February to the Special Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department. The Sri Balaji Reservoir, estimated at Rs 498.60 crore, will have a capacity of 1.0 TMC and supply drinking water to Tirupati and Tirumala. The Mallemadugu Reservoir, with a capacity of 2.69 TMC and an estimated cost of Rs 259 crore, is expected to irrigate 55,000 acres in Tirupati district.
A revised alignment has also been proposed for the Althurpadu Reservoir, which was earlier dropped following clearance delays. Under the new plan, water will be diverted from the Telugu Ganga Main Canal to the Somasila-Swarnamukhi Link Canal (SSLC), and then to the Merlapaka storage tank and Mallemadugu Reservoir.
Speaking to TNIE, GNSS Superintending Engineer O Sarada said that the State government’s intervention has helped resolve technical hurdles, paving the way for adequate irrigation and drinking water supply in Tirupati district.
The revised alignment from Mallemadugu to Venugopala Sagar is expected to ensure water delivery to tail-end areas and bring the long-delayed GNSS project to fruition, fulfilling the vision of the Chief Minister.