AP Govt gives its approval for Godavari-Penna linking works

Amaravati: The state government has given administration sanction for the work of interlinking of Godavari and Penna rivers in phase-1 from Harishchandrapuram village to Nekarikallu village in Guntur district.

The water resources department has agreed to sanctions Rs 6,020.15 crore for the interlinking works as the final detailed project report (DPR) has already been submitted by chief engineer of Krishna Delta system. The chief engineer said it is proposed to lift water from the right bank of Krishna river by arranging five lifts up to Nagarjunasagar project right canal to join at km-80 with a total lift of 148.68m.

He explained that 20 pumps involving a pressure main of 10.09 km and gravity canal of 56.5 km length has to be constructed for the above proposal. It is estimated that the cost per acre could be around Rs 62,645 for the interlinking in the phase-1.

It is proposed to lift 73 tmc ft of water during 120 flood days. The government has proposed to link Rivers Godavari and Penna in five phases. In the first phase, it is proposed to lift water from Godavari river through the pumps being installed at Chintalapudi lift irrigation scheme and the pumps installed at Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme to Krishna river through Polavaram Irrigation Project Right Main canal (PIPRMC).

The water (7,000 cusecs) will be lifted from Krishna river upstream of Prakasam barrage near Harishchandrapuram in Thulluru mandal to deliver into Nagarjunasagar Jawahar Canal near Narsingapadu village of Nekarikallu mandal with the help of five lifts. It is proposed that a pressure main of 10.09 km and a gravity canal of 56.5km length has to be constructed to divert the water to Nagarjunasagar canal.

The water is useful to stabilise 9.61 lakh acre existing ayacut and to serve the gap ayacut of one  lakh acre and to meet the drinking and industrial needs in Guntur and Prakasam districts.

The Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS) prepared the detailed project report (DPR) for the interlinking of Godavari and Penna rivers. The state government has included the Godavari-Penna interlinking as one of the 20 high priority projects. If the project is completed, around 320 tmc ft of Godavari surplus water will be diverted to cater the needs of Prakasam, Nellore and Rayalaseema region.