Chandrababu Naidu Eyes River Interlinking Dream, Targets Polavaram Completion by 2027

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reaffirmed his ambitious vision of interlinking rivers in the state to provide irrigation to every acre of farmland. During a discussion on irrigation projects in the State Assembly, Naidu spoke passionately about his dream of transferring Godavari water to Krishna, and further to Banakacherla, a monumental project estimated to cost ₹70,000 crore.

“This project is my life’s ambition. It’s a dream I’ve nurtured for years. But we must collectively figure out how to generate ₹70,000 crore,” Naidu said, suggesting that the project could adopt the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Drawing parallels to national highway development, he explained how private players could contribute alongside the state and central governments to complete the project over 20-25 years. Income from the project could offset costs, he added, warning that any delay could escalate the expense to ₹2 lakh crore or more.

Polavaram: A Lifeline for Andhra Pradesh

Naidu reiterated his commitment to completing the Polavaram Irrigation Project by 2027, emphasizing that its height would remain at 45.72 meters despite rumors of reductions. He revealed that international experts recommended constructing a new diaphragm wall to address existing damages, with work slated to start in January 2025 and finish by March 2026.

“Polavaram and Amaravati are like the two eyes of our state,” he said, highlighting Polavaram’s potential to eradicate drought and transform the region’s agricultural landscape. He credited his previous government with completing 72% of the project by 2019 but criticized the subsequent regime for slowing progress to just 3% over the past five years.

Naidu highlighted the TDP’s achievement with the Pattiseema project, completed in just a year to divert Godavari water to Rayalaseema, while also claiming that his government completed significant concrete work and the original diaphragm wall in record time. He accused the previous administration of halting Polavaram works due to political motives, which led to avoidable damage.

Funding and Future Plans

According to Naidu, the TDP government spent ₹16,493 crore on Polavaram between 2014 and 2019, while only ₹4,099 crore was allocated over the last five years. He announced that the Centre has committed ₹12,157 crore over the next two years to expedite the remaining works, expressing optimism that the project’s completion would cement Polavaram’s role as Andhra Pradesh’s lifeline.