Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to begin the Godavari-Banakacharla alignment project, which is estimated to cost Rs 70-80,000 crores. Tenders would be called for in the next three months.
On Sunday, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu held crucial discussion with the officials of the water resources and the financial departments regarding the project.
It is learnt that the Centre has formally expressed its consent to provide financial aid to the project.
During his tour in New Delhi recently, Chandrababu Naidu met Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others and told them that this project was as important as Polavaram project.
The alignment of Godavari and Banakacharla is important for Rayalaseema, Nellore and Prakasam districts. At the same time, aligning Polavaram with Vamsadhara is also vital.
If both these projects take shape, it would be like a 'jala harati' for the state. The government firmly believes that if these two projects take shape, there will be no drought in the state.
While Krishna river is not receiving water properly from the upper areas, around 2,000 tmc water is flowing into the sea every year, on an average.
The aim of the Godavari-Banakacharla project is to divert 280 tmc water during floods. As water would be diverted during floods, Godavari delta will not have problem. Krishna Delta gets 80 tmc water. This project would help provide 280 tmc Godavari water to Rayalaseema, composite Nellore and Prakasam district during flood season.
The project would be taken up in three phases.
Initially, Godavari flood water would be diverted from Polavaram to Krishna river and then it would be shifted to Bollapalli reservoir, which is yet to be constructed. From there, water would be diverted to Banakacharla regulator from Bollapalli.
