Godavari waters reached Anakapalli district through the Polavaram Left Main Canal on Wednesday, September 2, marking a significant milestone for irrigation and water supply in North Andhra. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu performed Jala Harathi at Payakaraopet and formally released the water towards the region.
The water was released through the regulator at Payakaraopet as part of the Polavaram Left Main Canal project. The development is expected to strengthen irrigation and drinking-water availability in Anakapalli and other parts of North Andhra.
According to reports, the 213-km Polavaram Left Main Canal has been developed to utilise 23.44 TMC of Godavari water for irrigation, drinking water and industrial requirements in Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts. The present release is expected to benefit about 1.50 lakh acres of ayacut in Anakapalli district.
The project is also expected to support irrigation across several existing ayacuts, including areas served by the Pushkara, Yeleru, Pampa, Tandava, Varaha and Mamidi Gedda systems. The water will move through a network of canals, siphons and aqueducts constructed to cross the region’s rivers and terrain.
Focus on North Andhra Water Security
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has described the arrival of Godavari water in North Andhra as an important step towards addressing the region’s long-standing water requirements. The state government’s broader plan is to extend the water supply towards Visakhapatnam and subsequently integrate it with the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project.
The government expects the integrated water network to support irrigation, drinking-water requirements and industrial development across the northern districts. The planned system is intended to extend benefits to areas including Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam and Srikakulam.
Next Phase
The latest release through the Polavaram Left Main Canal represents an important stage in the state’s plans to utilise Godavari water for North Andhra. The next major objective is to extend the supply towards Visakhapatnam and connect the system with the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi network.
The development comes as the state government continues work on major water infrastructure projects aimed at improving irrigation and water availability across Andhra Pradesh.
