Published Feb 12, 2026 | 11:20 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 12, 2026 | 11:20 AM
File photo of Polavaram dam under construction.
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is pulling out all the stops to fast-track the long-delayed Polavaram Irrigation Project and the ambitious Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar Link Project, despite stiff resistance from Telangana. He argued they are vital for reviving agriculture, securing drinking water, and powering growth in drought-hit regions of Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is pulling out all the stops to fast-track the long-delayed Polavaram Irrigation Project and the ambitious Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar Link Project, despite stiff resistance from Telangana.
He is seeking Central funds and swift clearances, even as Telangana digs in its heels, accusing Andhra Pradesh of trying to corner waters meant for the upper riparian state.
At a high-level meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi on 10 February, Naidu made an all-out pitch to speed up the projects. He argued they are vital for reviving agriculture, securing drinking water, and powering growth in drought-hit regions of Andhra Pradesh.
The chief minister sought ₹32,000 crore in Central assistance for Phase II of Polavaram. The amount would cover land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced families — many of them from tribal communities — and construction of protective embankments.
He also pressed for the permanent withdrawal of “stop work orders” that have stalled progress and sought reimbursement for the cost increase in expanding the capacity of the right and left main canals.
Naidu placed detailed proposals for the Polavaram–Nallamala Sagar Link Project on the table. He urged the Union government to clear it under the National River Linking Policy with full technical and financial backing. Calling it a “crucial lifeline,” he said the project would meet drinking, irrigation and industrial needs, while diverting “surplus” floodwaters that would otherwise flow into the sea.
Conceived decades ago and declared a national project in 2014, Polavaram on the Godavari is designed to irrigate over seven lakh acres, provide drinking water to urban and rural areas, generate hydropower, and shield the Godavari delta from floods. For Andhra Pradesh, it is more than a dam; it is a cornerstone of post-bifurcation recovery.
Under Naidu’s leadership, the TDP government has put the project on a war footing. In Delhi, he stressed the need to clear hurdles so work can proceed without hiccups. He underlined its strategic importance for cyclone-prone coastal Andhra and the parched tracts of Rayalaseema. Naidu has publicly vowed to dedicate the project ahead of the Godavari Pushkaralu in 2027.
Phase II of the project remains the sticking point. Land acquisition, and Rehabilitation and Resettlement for thousands of families continue to pose stiff challenges. The ₹32,000 crore package, if cleared, would help address these issues and move the project beyond partial spillway and concrete works.
The proposed Nallamala Sagar link aims to divert what Andhra Pradesh calls “surplus” Godavari floodwaters. The multi-purpose project would serve water-scarce regions, potentially transforming agriculture in Rayalaseema and upland areas. Proponents argue it merely taps excess monsoon flows and promotes balanced development without denting upstream allocations in normal years.
Telangana, however, sees red. The state has consistently opposed both the expansion of Polavaram and the Nallamala link, calling them a direct threat to its water security. Speaking at the State Legislative Assembly on 5 January, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy declared that Telangana would “stop the project at any cost.”
He argued that it violates the 1980 Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal award and established water-sharing norms.
Telangana contends that Andhra Pradesh is diverting floodwaters beyond the agreed limits, thereby eating into the upper state’s allocation of roughly 968 TMC. The issue has quickly snowballed into a political landmine.
The government has sent letters to the Godavari River Management Board, the Central Water Commission and Union ministries. It has also moved the Supreme Court, seeking to halt related works and review pre-feasibility reports.
The standoff has deepened long-standing inter-state frictions. In his meeting with Patil, Naidu also raised the Godavari water-sharing dispute and called for the immediate constitution of a new Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal.
BRS leader T Harish Rao has recently accused the ruling Congress government of turning a blind eye to what he termed Andhra Pradesh’s water excesses. He alleged that it was “a conspiracy to take Telangana’s water to Andhra Pradesh”.
For Naidu, Polavaram and the Nallamala link are non-negotiable. For Telangana, it means a tooth-and-nail fight to frustrate Andhra Pradesh’s ambition. As leaders of both states flex their muscles, the Godavari waters are likely to be on fire.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
