North Andhra Gets Godavari Waters as Polavaram Left Canal Opens

Godavari waters have begun flowing towards North Andhra through the Polavaram Left Main Canal, with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu formally opening the canal regulator at Payakaraopeta in Anakapalli district on Wednesday. The move marks a major milestone in the government's efforts to strengthen irrigation, drinking water security and long-term development across the region.

After performing Jala Harathi, Naidu opened the regulator, formally diverting water towards North Andhra. Built at a cost of Rs 4,192 crore, the 213-km canal is expected in its first phase to irrigate 2.87 lakh acres across four districts and provide drinking water to 5.23 lakh people.

The project includes major aqueducts and siphons to overcome difficult terrain. A siphon has been constructed below the Yeleru river bed, while the Pampa aqueduct rests on 312 piles extending up to 30 metres deep. A 447-metre aqueduct with six vents across the Tandava river can carry 10,634 cusecs of water.

The latest release is expected to benefit nearly 1.5 lakh acres in Anakapalli district, while the Yeleru canal and 110 tanks are also set to receive water. The canal will help stabilise irrigation across 1.48 lakh acres under Pushkara, 80,000 acres under Yeleru, 12,000 acres under Pampa, and 46,620 acres under the Tandava, Varaha and Mamidagedda systems.

At a public meeting, Naidu said the broader network could eventually serve four lakh acres and provide drinking water to nine lakh people across East Godavari, Konaseema, Kakinada and Anakapalli. He said 23.44 TMC would meet Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli's industrial, drinking and irrigation needs, with plans to link the canal to the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project.

Naidu announced 12 projects worth Rs 3,200 crore, while reiterating plans to develop Visakhapatnam as an AI city and promote data centres, IT investment, submarine cable connectivity and infrastructure including Mulapeta Port. He also targeted the previous YSRCP government over irrigation spending and dismissed opposition concerns over data centres, saying they would need only five TMC, while the canal could carry two TMC a day through gravity.

The Chief Minister promised 36 projects worth Rs 35,000 crore in three years, adding that Rs 25,000 crore had been spent on irrigation over the past two years.