Naidu Releases Godavari Water to North Andhra through Polavaram Canal
2 Sept 2026 5:16 PM IST2 Sept 2026 5:16 PM IST
The Chief Minister performed 'Jala Harathi' at Payakaraopeta in Anakapalli district to welcome the Godavari waters and switched on the regulator across the canal, allowing the river water to flow towards North Andhra
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. (File Photo)
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday released Godavari waters to North Andhra through the Polavaram Project Left Main Canal, marking a major step towards strengthening irrigation and drinking water supply in the region.
The Chief Minister performed 'Jala Harathi' at Payakaraopeta in Anakapalli district to welcome the Godavari waters and switched on the regulator across the canal, allowing the river water to flow towards North Andhra.
The water will travel through a network of canals, rivers, aqueducts and syphons before reaching different parts of the region, passing through the Pampa, Tandava, Varaha and Sarada rivers and the Yeleru canal.
The Rs 4,192-crore canal, constructed over 213 km, will initially provide irrigation to 2.87 lakh acres in four districts and drinking water to around 5.23 lakh people, according to officials.
The Water Resources Department has built several specialised structures along the canal to carry water across natural waterways and other geographical barriers, including syphons and aqueducts at river crossings.
At the Pampa river crossing, an aqueduct has been constructed above the river, supported by 312 piles driven to a depth of up to 30 metres.
A 447-metre-long aqueduct with six vents has also been built across the Tandava river, with the structure designed to carry up to 10,634 cusecs of water.
In Anakapalli district, nearly 1.5 lakh acres are expected to benefit from the release, with the water being used to replenish the Yeleru canal and 110 tanks for irrigation and drinking water needs.
The project is expected to strengthen irrigation over 1.48 lakh acres under the Pushkara ayacut, 80,000 acres under Yeleru, 12,000 acres under Pampa and 46,620 acres under the Tandava, Varaha and Mamidi Gedda ayacuts.
The government has planned to utilise 23.44 TMC of Godavari water for irrigation, drinking water and industrial requirements in Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts.
The Left Main Canal is also planned to be connected to the North Andhra Sujala Sravanthi project, through which Godavari water will eventually be taken to the upper areas of Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam and Srikakulam districts.
The state government plans to take Godavari water to Visakhapatnam next year and subsequently integrate it with the North Andhra Sujala Sravanthi network.
Once the wider system is completed, the government expects to stabilise irrigation over nearly eight lakh acres in North Andhra besides improving drinking water availability across the region.
The project is being positioned as a major water infrastructure initiative for North Andhra, with the government expecting it to support agriculture, industrial activity and economic development in the region.
( Source : PTI )
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