Polavaram project to be completed before Godavari Pushkaralu in 2027 Andhra CM

Polavaram (Andhra Pradesh), March 27 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said his government aims to complete the Polavaram project before the Godavari Pushkaralu (a Kumbh Mela-like pilgrimage) in July 2027.
    Addressing a press conference at the mega irrigation project site in Eluru district, Naidu expressed hope that the project could be completed before July and dedicated to the nation.
    "If the Polavaram Project is completed by the time of Pushkaralu, it can be dedicated to the country earlier and will be highly beneficial. However, if there are major technical issues, there may be slight delays. Otherwise, we will complete it," he said.
    During his third visit to the project since returning to power in 2024, Naidu emphasised that several key decisions had been taken to rectify the project, which had "gone off track."
    Terming the project highly complex, Naidu said it could have been completed by 2020 if the previous TDP government had remained in power beyond 2019.
    However, he alleged that due to the negligence of the former YSRCP regime, the diaphragm wall—built at Rs 400 crore—was washed away, necessitating a new one at an estimated cost of Rs 900 crore.
    According to Naidu, even if 200 TMC of water is conserved from the thousands of TMC that currently drain into the sea, Andhra Pradesh could be transformed into a drought-proof state.
    Calling the Polavaram Project the "lifeline" of the state, he said it could irrigate 7.2 lakh acres of farmland, stabilise irrigation across 23.5 lakh acres, provide drinking water to over 28 lakh people, and generate 960 MW of power.
    Additionally, he noted that the project could supply 23 TMC of drinking water to Visakhapatnam, among other benefits.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)