YSRCP Accuses Chandrababu Naidu of Claiming Credit for Veligonda Project

The YSR Congress Party has accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of attempting to claim political credit for the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project, arguing that the bulk of its progress was made under the governments of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, YSRCP SC Cell president and former MLA TJR Sudhakar Babu questioned why the present government was preparing to inaugurate a project whose twin tunnels had already been dedicated to the nation in 2024. He said the Veligonda Project was conceived to provide irrigation to 4.47 lakh acres across 30 mandals in Prakasam, Nellore and YSR Kadapa districts, besides supplying drinking water to an estimated 15.25 lakh people.

Sudhakar Babu said Chandrababu Naidu had laid the foundation stone for the project on March 5, 1996, but alleged that little meaningful progress was made until 2004. According to him, the project gained fresh momentum after Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy became Chief Minister, with major works taken up under the Jalayagnam programme. He credited the YSR government with advancing key components, including the second tunnel, a comprehensive DPR, the Nallamala Sagar reservoirs and feeder channels.

Presenting construction figures, Sudhakar Babu said a total of 20.33 km of tunnelling work was completed between 2004 and 2014, including 11.58 km in Tunnel-1 and 8.74 km in Tunnel-2. He alleged that only 6.6 km of excavation was completed during the Chandrababu Naidu government's tenure between 2014 and 2019.

The pace of work increased significantly under the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government, he claimed. While Tunnel-1 and Tunnel-2 advanced at average rates of 2.41 metres and 1.31 metres per day, respectively, during the 2014–19 period, the pace rose to 4.12 metres per day in Tunnel-1 and 7.27 metres per day in Tunnel-2 under the Jagan government.

Sudhakar Babu maintained that more than 85 per cent of the Veligonda Project works were completed during the combined tenures of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. He noted that Jagan dedicated the twin tunnels to the nation on March 6, 2024, and questioned the need for another inauguration.

He also demanded the immediate release of ₹112 crore in compensation to 758 eligible displaced families. Throwing down a political challenge, Sudhakar Babu dared Chandrababu Naidu to make the Veligonda Project the sole issue and seek a public verdict in Yerragondapalem, Markapuram, Giddalur, Kanigiri and Darsi constituencies.