Polavaram Project set for completion by March 2027
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced that the Polavaram Project is scheduled for completion by March 2027. The Central government has approved an in-principle funding of Rs 121.57 billion for the project, with Rs 60 billion allocated for the 2024-25 fiscal year and another Rs 61.57 billion for FY26.
The construction work on the spillway, gates, and connectivity is expected to be completed by May 2025. Located in Polavaram Mandalam of Eluru district, the mega irrigation project will have a storage capacity of 194 tmc of water, enabling the utilization of 322 tmc. It will irrigate 7.2 lakh acres, provide drinking water to 28.5 lakh people, and generate 960 MW of hydropower.
The Polavaram Project, situated on the river Godavari about 34 km upstream of the Kovvuru-Rajahmundry road-cum-rail bridge, is expected to save approximately 500 tmc to 700 tmc of river water by supplementing existing water resources across the state.