Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu Inaugurates Phase-I of Veligonda Project

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday dedicated the first phase of the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project to the nation. The inauguration marks the culmination of a three-decade wait for Krishna water in the drought-prone areas of Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts.

Speaking at the inauguration event at Gantavanipalle in Dornala mandal, Mr Naidu stated that the first phase will divert 10.70 TMC of Krishna water to the Nallamala Sagar. This diversion is designed to provide irrigation to 1.19 lakh acres and drinking water to four lakh people.

The Chief Minister performed special prayers and offered Jal Harathi to Krishna waters emerging from twin tunnels through the Nallamala hills. He unveiled a plaque marking the commissioning of Phase-I and released water downstream by pressing a switch at the aqueduct alongside local farmers and representatives.

The Krishna waters were brought by gravity from the Kollam Vagu off the Srisailam reservoir, travelling through 18.8-km twin tunnels and 21.8-km feeder canals before reaching the Gantavanipalle aqueduct and flowing towards Nallamala Sagar.

Outlining the broader scope of the infrastructure initiative, Mr Naidu noted that the entire Veligonda project will eventually provide irrigation to 4.47 lakh acres and drinking water to 23 lakh people across 30 mandals in the erstwhile Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts. Of the total irrigation potential, 3.36 lakh acres will be in erstwhile Prakasam, 84,000 acres in Nellore, and 27,000 acres in Kadapa. The project is also expected to stabilise the ayacut of 62,000 acres under the Tigaleru canal, 9,500 acres under the Gottipadu canal, and 3.70 lakh acres under the Eastern Main Canal.

Financially, the estimated total cost of the project stands at ₹10,200 crore. According to the Chief Minister, ₹7,983 crore has been spent thus far to complete Phase-I, while approximately ₹1,900 crore of works remain to finalise the full project. The State government aims to complete Phase-II by 2028, which is expected to resolve the region's long-standing fluoride and drinking water issues.

Recalling the timeline of the development, Mr Naidu mentioned that he had laid the foundation stone for the project on March 5, 1996, during his previous tenure as Chief Minister. The engineering undertaking involved cutting through the Nallamala hills to route Krishna water to western Prakasam.

During the event, the Chief Minister also paid tribute to residents of 11 villages who surrendered their lands, houses, and villages for the construction of the project. The government reported paying ₹768 crore in compensation to 6,206 displaced families within 48 days, with an additional ₹169 crore planned alongside benefit extensions for eligible youth who have attained 18 years of age.

"The completion of Phase-I of the Veligonda Project demonstrates the critical economic and social impact of long-term infrastructure execution on regional development. For businesses, agriculture, and local entrepreneurship in drought-prone areas like Prakasam, Nellore, and Kadapa, a reliable water supply changes the fundamental operating environment. Managing capital allocation effectively across multi-decade projects—such as the ₹10,200 crore total estimated cost here—remains a core lesson in large-scale resource management and regional economic planning." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes