Andhra's Veligonda Project Revived: Water Flows, Hope Soars!

The Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project (PSVP), a lifeline for drought-prone regions of Andhra Pradesh, has been revitalized, bringing a wave of relief and hope to millions. On August 31, 2026, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu marked a historic moment by releasing Krishna water into the Nallamalasagar reservoir through the project's twin tunnels and feeder canal.

This milestone signifies a major step towards fulfilling a four-decade-long promise to address chronic water scarcity, depleted resources, and severe fluoride contamination in parts of the region.

Conceived as a permanent solution, the Veligonda project is designed to draw 43.50 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) of Krishna floodwater from the foreshore of the Srisailam Reservoir. This water travels through Kollam Vagu and across the challenging Nallamala hills to reach the Nallamalasagar.

The ambitious initiative aims to establish a vast irrigation network spanning four districts and 30 mandals, while also providing essential drinking water facilities to populations that have endured prolonged periods of drought.

For nearly 40 years, residents have battled not just water scarcity but also dangerously high levels of fluoride in groundwater, ten times the permissible limit.

The project promises a comprehensive intervention, combining irrigation, drinking water provision, and crucial groundwater recharge.

Its significant scale is reflected in its revised estimated cost of ₹10,790 crore, with a substantial ₹7,607 crore already expended to bring this vision to fruition.

The Nallamalasagar Reservoir, a key component of the PSVP, boasts a gross storage capacity of 53.85 TMC, including 43.50 TMC of live storage. It was formed by strategically closing the Sunkesula, Gottipadia, and Kakarla gaps within the Nallamala hills. The project meticulously allocates 36.57 TMC for crop irrigation, 1.570 TMC for drinking water needs, and 3.360 TMC to account for anticipated evaporation losses.

The overall irrigation command area is projected at a massive 4,47,300 acres. This includes 4,32,500 acres for new irrigation development and 14,800 acres for stabilizing existing agricultural lands. The benefits are spread across Markapuram (308,700 acres), Prakasam (27,400 acres), SPSR Nellore (84,000 acres), and YSR Kadapa (27,200 acres).

Constituencies like Yerragondapalem, Markapur, Giddalur, Kanigiri, Darsi, Kondepi, Badvel, Udayagiri, and Atmakur are among those slated to receive water.

The Veligonda project is being implemented in two principal stages. Stage I, designed to provide irrigation to 119,000 acres and drinking water to four lakh people in Markapuram, is nearing completion. Shashibhushan Kumar, Special Chief Secretary to Government, Water Resources, Government of Andhra Pradesh, confirmed that all headworks for Stage I are completed, with only a small portion of feeder canal lining remaining.

The completion of the remaining feeder canal lining and distributary network for Stage I is targeted for June 2027. Stage II will cover the remaining 328,300 acres, extending benefits to other beneficiary areas across Markapuram, Prakasam, Nellore, and Kadapa, with completion aimed for March 2029. This revival signals a brighter, water-secure future for the people of Andhra Pradesh.

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