"AP CM Naidu sets a March 2027 deadline for the conclusion of Polavaram Project Phase 1."

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu recently said the first phase of the Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project will be completed by March 2027, while construction of the new diaphragm wall is scheduled to be finished by February this year.

Speaking to reporters after reviewing the progress of works at the Polavaram project site, Naidu said the government has set a target to complete all Phase I works by March 2027 to enable the release of water. He noted that the State had to incur an additional expenditure of about ₹1,000 crore for the construction of a new diaphragm wall.

The Chief Minister said the main dam works are nearing completion, while embankment works are expected to be ready by June. The ECRF dam gap-2 works are targeted for completion by March next year, and relief and rehabilitation works are expected to be completed within a year, he added.

Naidu said the completion of the Polavaram project would enable the development of the State’s largest inland waterways. He also said steps have been taken to supply water to Visakhapatnam through the Polavaram left main canal, which will also provide irrigation facilities to Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts.