Minister for Water Resources Nimmala Rama Naidu.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu has said that efforts are being made to resume the stalled Gundrevula project on the Tungabhadra in Kurnool district by consulting the governments of Karnataka and Telangana, and the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) as it is an inter-State project.
Replying to a question posed by Gowru Charitha Reddy (TDP) in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday on whether the revised DPR had been prepared and approved, Mr. Rama Naidu said the government was focused on construction of the Gundrevula project in a phased manner as it was intended to provide irrigation and drinking water to the drought-stricken western regions of Kurnool district, drinking water to Kurnool Municipal Corporation, and stabilise 2.65 lakh acres under the KC Canal ayacut.
The revised cost was estimated to be ₹4,530 crore, and it was under the government’s consideration. The DPR was submitted in December 2024.
The Minister said the project would solve the persistent problem of water scarcity in Alur, Mantralayam, Yemmiganur, Pathikonda and Kodumur constituencies.
He pointed out that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government had abandoned the Gundrevula project, thereby passing on the task of constructing it to the present NDA Government.
The Minister alleged that the Water Resources Department was saddled with dues amounting to ₹16,000 crore due to “gross negligence and mismanagement” of the projects by the previous government.
Mr. Rama Naidu said the construction of the barrage at Vaikuntapuram, which began in 2016, would be completed in the near future. “Top priority has been given to it as it will fully meet the drinking water needs of Amaravati, Guntur and Vijayawada cities,” he said.
Tenders were called for an estimated cost of ₹2,169 crore and work orders issued to a consortium of Navayuga, Venkata Rao Infra and other companies in 2018.
He was responding to a question asked by MLAs Bhashyam Praveen, Julakanti Brahmananda Reddy, Chadalavada Aravinda Babu and Yarapatineni Srinivasa Rao.
Unfortunately, it came to a grinding halt during the YSRCP regime as the capital was proposed to be shifted out of Amaravati, and the NDA Government pegged the project’s estimated cost at ₹4,000 crore.
Planned to be built on the Krishna, 60 km downstream of Pulichintala and 23 km upstream of Prakasam barrage, the Vaikuntapuram barrage would help in handling a flood discharge of 15 lakh cusecs.
Published – March 13, 2025 08:02 pm IST
