POLAVARAM: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced that the long-awaited Polavaram Irrigation Project will be fully completed, and operational by December 2027, marking a historic milestone for Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing a press conference after inspecting the ongoing construction works at Polavaram on Wednesday, the Chief Minister emphasised that all works are being fast-tracked, with the immediate target of finishing the diaphragm wall by February 15, and completing the remaining construction phases by March next year.
Naidu highlighted that the main dam is nearly complete, while embankment works are scheduled to be finished by June this year. The ECFR Dam Gap-2 works are expected to conclude by March 2027.
Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) efforts, including land acquisition, will be wrapped up within the next 12 months. He stressed that the government is committed to dedicating the project to the nation at the earliest.
Naidu criticised the previous regime for the project delay, stating that negligence after 2019 caused a setback of nearly six years. He pointed out that damage to the diaphragm wall was identified late, leading to cost escalation. “If the diaphragm wall had been completed earlier, the expenditure would have been just Rs 440 crore. Now, reconstruction has added an extra burden of Rs 1,000 crore,” he said.
Naidu also outlined the broader vision for Polavaram, including the creation of one of the largest inland waterways, enhanced connectivity through tunnels for right and left canals, and extending Polavaram water up to Visakhapatnam. He assured that Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli would be transformed into fertile zones, while minor irrigation systems and check dams along the canals would be replenished with Godavari water.
Reflecting on past achievements, he recalled the Pattiseema project, which was completed in a year, and enabled diversion of Godavari water to the Krishna delta. This, he said, conserved Krishna water for Rayalaseema, filled reservoirs, and boosted horticulture development. “Without Pattiseema, Rayalaseema would not have received water,” he asserted.
Naidu concluded with a personal note, calling Polavaram his dream project. “Polavaram must be completed, rivers must be interconnected, and Andhra Pradesh must be made drought-free. The project is very close to my heart,” he said.