Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. | Photo credit: File Photo
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday announced the achievement of another major milestone in the construction of the Polavaram Irrigation Project.
In a post on X, the chief minister, describing the project as the lifeline of the state, said the construction of the 1,372-metre-long gate wall, which is considered one of the most critical parts of the project, was completed within a short time frame.
Mr. Naidu congratulated the officials and engineers of the Irrigation Department for achieving this feat and expressed gratitude to the central agencies and representatives of the Polavaram Project Authority for their support.
Mr. Naidu noted that the retaining wall had to be reconstructed at an additional cost of ₹1,000 crore due to damage caused during the previous regime (YSRCP), which he attributed to negligence. Despite these setbacks, Mr Naidu said the government remained committed to completing the project on priority.
With the completion of the gate wall, the chief minister said work on the main structure, the Earth-Cum-Rock Fill (ECRF) dam, would gain momentum. He reiterated that the government is moving forward with a clear plan to expedite all ongoing works.
Mr. Naidu said the project would be completed and dedicated to the nation before the Godavari Pushkaralu in 2027.
Meanwhile, in Polavaram, Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu thanked the engineers involved in the construction of the gate wall and distributed sweets on the occasion.
The membrane wall, which was built during the previous tenure of the TDP government, was “destroyed” during the tenure of former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the minister said.
The reconstruction of the gate wall began on January 18, 2025, he said, adding that it was completed in 440 days. He also pointed out that after the August 2020 floods damaged the structure, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced in the Legislative Assembly that the retaining wall would be completed by June 2021, December 2021 and again by June 2022, but these deadlines were not met.
Published – 02 Apr 2026 20:18 IST
