Upon completion, the project will irrigate, 6,02,500 acres of land across the districts of Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa, and Chittoor. Additionally, drinking water will be supplied to 33 lakh people in 81 mandals.
Published May 09, 2025 | 1:07 PM ⚊ Updated May 09, 2025 | 1:07 PM
Gollapalli Reservoir. (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: The Andhra Pradesh state government has decided to fast-track the completion of the Handri-Neeva project. The chief minister has given administrative approvals for canal widening and lining works for the HNSS Main Branch Canal and Punganur Branch Canal.
The Andhra Pradesh state government has decided to fast-track the completion of the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) project, the lifeline of Rayalaseema.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is personally monitoring the progress of the canal project — aimed at providing a reliable irrigation and drinking water supply in the Rayalaseema region.
As part of this initiative, he will visit the Uravakonda constituency in Anantapur district on Friday, 9 May, to inspect the construction works and participate in development programmes.
The HNSS is set to get a new lease of life since the TDP-led NDA took over the governance of Andhra Pradesh in June last year, and momentum has returned to the project, an official press release claimed.
Naidu has given administrative approvals for canal widening and lining works for the HNSS Main Branch Canal and Punganur Branch Canal (PBC). The chief minister has instructed officials to complete Phase I by June 2025, and work has been progressing rapidly in recent months.
Between 2014 and 2019, significant work was carried out on the HNSS project. Realising the canals could not match the project’s capacity, Naidu proposed widening the HNSS Main Canal. The widening works began in April 2017.
The Gollapalli Reservoir and Madakasira Branch Canal were completed in 2016–17. Water for the Kia Industries was drawn from the Gollapalli Reservoir. The Cherlopalli and Marala reservoirs were completed in 2018–19. In 2019, water was supplied to MBC and PBC for the first time.
After coming to power, the NDA government granted administrative approvals for lining works of the HNSS Main Canal and the Punganur Branch Canal. Initially, due to a lack of lining, maximum discharge was only 2,200 cusec of water. With the current widening and lining efforts, capacity is being increased to 3,850 cusec.
In the past five months, significant progress has been made, with the first phase scheduled for completion by next month. Phase-II canal works (including Punganur and Kuppam branches) are also advancing swiftly. The chief minister has ensured water reaches regions like Padire, Madakasira, and Kuppam, the press release said.
Under Phases I and II, a total of ₹3,873 crore is being spent by the state government on 554 km of canal lining and widening works. Under Phase I, works are being carried out with ₹696 crore and under Phase 2, ₹1,256 crore has been allocated for HNSS Main Canal (Km 216 – Km 400) and Punganur Branch Canal (Km 0.00 – Km 75).
The works on the Punganur Branch Canal (Km 75 – Km 207) began in January 2025 with a ₹480 crore budget, and 15 km have been completed so far. Kuppam Branch Canal works commenced in February 2025 with a ₹197 crore allocation, with 40 km completed to date.
Once Phase II is in place, water can be supplied at 2,520 cusec of water from the Main Canal and 840 cusec from the PBC. Proposals have also been prepared for lining works from Km 400 to 490 on the HNSS Main Canal with ₹590 crore, from Km 490 to 554 with ₹291 crore, and for the Neva Canal from Km 0 to 123 with ₹362 crore.
Upon completion, the project will irrigate 6,02,500 acres of land across the districts of Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa, and Chittoor. Additionally, drinking water will be supplied to 33 lakh people in 81 mandals, the press release said.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
