After Decades Of Wait, Krishna Waters Finally Reach Kuppam
Chief Minister will perform the Jala Harathi at Paramasamudram Tank on August 30: Reports
TIRUPATI: The long-pending wish of people in Kuppam constituency for water has turned into a reality with water from Krishna River reaching the Paramasamudram Tank on Monday night through the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) project.
The historic moment came nearly four decades after the idea had first been conceived. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to offer Jala Harathi at Paramasamudram on August 30.
The Kuppam branch canal, built at a cost of ₹697 crore, extends to over 143 km from the 207 km point of Punganur branch canal before it reaches the Paramasamudram Tank. In the process, Krishna water is lifted to higher levels at three points – Shankarayalapeta, Krishnapuram and Arinepalli. Nearly 30 culvert bridges have been built for the purpose.
The water from Paramasamudram Tank is expected to irrigate 6,300 acres in Kuppam and Palamaner constituencies, while supplying drinking water to nearly two lakh residents across eight mandals. In the next stage of the project, state government plans to fill 110 village tanks with Krishna water.
The HNSS scheme goes back to 1987, when then chief minister N.T. Rama Rao launched it to provide irrigation and drinking water to the upland districts of Rayalaseema. Two decades later in 2007, late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy approved extension of the canal network up to Kuppam through the Punganur branch.
The project went through major changes after AP’s bifurcation. Chandrababu Naidu, during his 2015–16 tenure, pushed the works forward, awarding a ₹468 crore package to Ritwik Company in May 2015. By 2018–19, close to 80 per cent of the canal works had been completed.
Following the change of government in 2019, Kuppam branch canal slowed down. Yet, in February 2024, then chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy released the water at Gundusettipalli, even though the Telugu Desam Party contended that over 10 per cent of the work, particularly the lining, had not been completed.
Upon returning to office in 2024, Naidu made completion of the canal one of his first priorities, often describing it as a dream project for his Kuppam constituency.
Krishna water flowing into the Paramasamudram has taken a long journey. Released into the Handri-Neeva canal at Malyala pumping station in Nandyal on July 17, the water travelled via Jeedipalli reservoir in Anantapur, reached Adavipalli reservoir in Chittoor, and branched towards Punganur.
From there, it entered Kuppam at Vardikuppam in Ramakuppam mandal by midnight on Saturday, coursed through Santipuram and Gudupalle mandals, and finally reached Paramasamudram Tank by 8 p.m. on Monday.