Godavari Waters to Reach North Andhra Through Pushkara Scheme
Ramanaidu spoke to media while touring the Kakinada district to check out water flows and the conditions of reservoirs, apart from the Pithapuram Branch Canal following the heavy rains.
Kakinada:Water Resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu on Friday said the state government would divert Godavari waters to North Andhra through the Purushothapatnam and Pushkara lift irrigation schemes even before the completion of the Polavaram Project.
Ramanaidu spoke to media while touring the Kakinada district to check out water flows and the conditions of reservoirs, apart from the Pithapuram Branch Canal following the heavy rains.
The minister underlined that the government aims to meet the industrial, drinking water, and irrigation requirements of North Andhra, including Visakhapatnam city and the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. He said the ₹1,800 crore first phase of the Polavaram Left Main Canal would be completed in August and water released to North Andhra. He mentioned that nearly 3,000 TMC of Godavari water continued to flow into the sea every year.
Ramanaidu said despite engineering challenges, including excavation through a 100-metre stretch of hard rock, construction of aqueducts across the Pampa and Tandava rivers, apart from land acquisition, are progressing rapidly. He maintained that the government would not tolerate any delays and negligence in the works.
The minister pointed out that the government earmarked ₹3,000 crore for irrigation works and supplying water to Prakasam district in September. He said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has fixed 2027 as the target for completing the Polavaram project.
In this regard, he mentioned that they have restored the damaged diaphragm on March 2, 2026, while work on the earth-cum-rock-fill dam has reached 41 per cent completion in Gap-1 and 31 per cent in Gap-2.
