Polavaram: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has announced that the Polavaram project, deemed the lifeline of the state, will be completed by October 2026. Speaking after a review meeting with officials, he emphasized the government’s commitment to meeting this deadline.
The Chief Minister revealed that consultations with international experts, the Central Water Commission, and the Polavaram Project Authority have provided a roadmap for timely completion. The damaged diaphragm wall will be reconstructed starting January 2, and simultaneous work on the Earth Cum Rock Fill (ECRF) dam has been planned. Officials have been tasked with completing these works ahead of schedule, targeting December 2025.
Highlighting progress, Mr. Naidu stated that 72% of the project was completed under the TDP government (2014–2019), but only 3.84% progress was made in the last five years. He alleged that ₹2,400 crore was misused by the previous administration.
Polavaram is expected to irrigate 7.27 lakh acres, consolidate 23 lakh acres, and provide drinking water to 28 lakh people. Additionally, it will generate 960 MW of power and support industrial and drinking water needs in Visakhapatnam.
The Chief Minister also discussed plans to link the Krishna and Godavari rivers and develop the Vamsadhara project for North Andhra, aiming to make the state drought-free.
