�Vijayawada:�Virtually sweeping under the rug Telangana’s persistent opposition, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu told the state Legislative Assembly on Friday that the Centre has accepted his proposal on the Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project.
For context, the Banakacherla Project, part of the proposed Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP), is an ambitious water management plan by the AP government to divert surplus Godavari River floodwaters to the Rayalaseema region, which suffers from water scarcity. The project involves linking the Godavari, Krishna, and Penna rivers through canals and lift stations to transport water to Banakacherla reservoir in Kurnool district.
The Banakacherla project, however, faces stiff opposition from Telangana due to concerns over water sharing and potential impacts on its water security and the Nallamala forest ecosystem. While addressing legislators, Chandrababu Naidu urged “neighbouring states” to set aside animosity and join Andhra Pradesh in using the flood waters that are now flowing into the sea. The Chief Minister said he has witnessed many river water disputes over the years, dating back to the NTR regime. “I am telling the neighbouring states not to hold grudges. I have seen many disputes. We should use the water that is being wasted in the sea,” he said. He stressed that the link project would bring much-needed irrigation water to Rayalaseema.
The Chief Minister pointed out that nearly 3,700 TMC of floodwater has gone into the sea so far this year. His plan is to divert just 200 TMC of that to Rayalaseema through canals. He told the House that the Centre has already agreed to his proposal.Chandrababu underlined the need for water security in drinking, irrigation, and agriculture. He said interlinking rivers is the only lasting solution, adding that Godavari and Krishna have already been linked. He assured that all rivers in the State would be connected in phases.
On the Polavaram project, Naidu said the diaphragm wall would be completed by December 2025. The wall, he recalled, was washed away during floods under the previous government’s watch, forcing an additional cost of Rs 1,000 crore. He said the TDP government had finished 73 per cent of the project by 2019, but work stalled later. The project, he promised, will now be completed by 2027 and dedicated to the nation.
Chandrababu reviewed the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanti project, taken up at a cost of Rs 960 crore. About 75 per cent of the work is done, Naidu said and added that water would reach Anakapalle by October. This project has been linked to the Polavaram right canal at an additional cost of Rs 1,425 crore.
The Chief Minister told the Assembly that water from the Srisailam project has already been diverted to the Handri-Neeva, Galeru-Nagari project, the Kuppam region, as well as to tanks in Pulivendula. He said Rs 13,000 crore has been spent on Handri-Neeva so far, and it can carry 40 TMC of water.
With efficient use of water, Chandrababu said, groundwater levels could rise by 700 TMC across the State. He expressed satisfaction that 439 TMC has been supplied to the Krishna Delta over the last 10 years, while also reaching Kuppam. He said that if water is managed wisely, drought will not be a subject of discussion in any district of Andhra Pradesh.