Naidu alleged that the YSR Congress government had politicized the Polavaram project issue on the pretext of opting for reverse tendering
Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has vowed to complete the Polavaram irrigation project by December, 2027.
Speaking to the media on Thursday after inspecting the progress of the project works and holding a review meeting with the officials at Polavaram in Eluru district, Naidu said, “Polavaram is my passion. Though I tried my best to complete the project, the 2019 elections resulted in a change of power. Had I retained power then, I would have completed the project soon. I was saddened. However, with the blessings of god, I got a fresh opportunity now to re-take and complete the project.”
”Now, we have NDA governments here and at the Centre. We have got funds from the Centre and I would speed up the works. If I complete both the Polavaram and and the Polavaram-Banakacherla projects, my life’s ambition will be realised. I am confident of doing so with support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and my friend Pawan Kalyan.”
Naidu alleged that the YSR Congress government had politicized the Polavaram project issue on the pretext of opting for ‘reverse tendering. “This resulted in an additional burden of Rs 2,782 crore on the state exchequer.”
He deplored the way contractors were changed and how the project remained unattended for six months.
The chief minister said he visited the project thrice so far in the last nine months. “Had we continued in power in 2019, we could have completed the project and dedicated it to the nation by August, 2020.”
He said the project would help the state in getting new ayacut in 7.20 lakh ares, stabilisation of 23.50 lakh acres ayacut, supply of drinking water to 28.5 lakh people, generation of 960mw of power and supply of 23tmc-ft of water to meet the drinking water and industrial needs of Visakhapatnam. Referring to the release of 4,000tmc-ft of water into the sea from Godavari this year, Naidu said, “Had we used 400-500tmc-ft of water, it could have helped the state avoid drought.
Referring to the advice from Niti Ayog to take up execution of the Polavaram project given the poor history of execution of several central projects, Naidu said, “We took up the project with a commitment to complete it at any cost. We managed to complete it up to 73 per cent by 2019.”
CM listed the schedule for execution of several components of the project. The new D-wall would be completed by December end this year; the ECRF GP-1 works by Feb 2026; the Left Main Canal by June, 2026; and the ECRF Gap-2 by Dec 2027.
“If there were no technical issues, we could have completed even the Gap-2 by June, 2027.”
As for rehabilitation colonies, the CM said land acquisition would be taken up for phase-1A, phase-2 1A and 1B. The construction of 26 colonies was over while works at 49 were yet to be over. “Efforts would be made to set up industrial units in rehabilitation colonies. If MSMEs are to be set up, the government would encourage that.”
