After overcoming numerous challenges and obstacles, Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project has become fully operational due to Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s unwavering commitment, said Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu, while addressing the public at Gantavanipalli in Markapuram district on Monday.

He said that the coalition government rapidly completed the project, the foundation stone for which was laid three decades ago—within just two years of assuming office, bringing Krishna River water to Nallamala Sagar. The Chief Minister played a pivotal role in completing the project, following the resolution of legal issues and other clearances, he said.

“After assuming office in 2024, the Chief Minister focused specifically on the Veligonda Project and issued clear directives to complete it by 2026. He had been reviewing the progress of the project every 15 to 20 days. Despite constraints, he instructed the Finance Department to ensure that there was no shortage of funds for the project,” Mr. Rama Naidu said.

Approximately 1.80 lakh cubic metres of soil were excavated at Kollam Vagu, and the necessary hydraulic regulators along with about 3,250 cubic metres of concrete work were completed, he added.

The construction of a 4,924-metre-long tunnel and 6,988 metres of lining were completed in two years as per the target. The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) weighing 1,900 tonne, which had been stuck at the 11.8-km mark for five years, was moved out of the tunnel after resolving the legal issues.

He noted that ₹462 crore was allocated for the development and lining of feeder canals, following directives from the Chief Minister. Since the commencement of the project, 5.3 km of CC work and 11 km of lining work have been completed, enabling the efficient conveyance of water to Nallamala Sagar, he added.