Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu released Godavari water through the Polavaram Left Main Canal. The milestone is expected to support irrigation across 2.87 lakh acres and provide drinking water to 5.23 lakh people in North Andhra.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu released Godavari water towards North Andhra through the Polavaram Project’s Left Main Canal on Wednesday, marking an important milestone in the state’s irrigation programme.

Naidu performed Jala Harathi at Payakaraopeta in Anakapalli district before operating the canal regulator. The water release is intended to improve irrigation and drinking-water availability across several parts of the north coastal region.

The event represents progress on the canal component of the Polavaram project, but it should not be described as the completion of the entire multipurpose project. Major components and associated works remain subject to separate construction schedules.

The Chief Minister formally operated the regulator to send Godavari water towards Anakapalli and other areas of North Andhra. He also offered prayers and performed Jala Harathi as part of the ceremony.

The Left Main Canal extends for approximately 213 kilometres and has involved the construction of complex structures to carry water across rivers and natural barriers.

Aqueducts and syphons were built at important crossings, including a syphon below the Yeleru riverbed. An aqueduct supported by 312 piles extending up to 30 metres deep was constructed across the Pampa River.

Another 447-metre aqueduct with six vents was built across the Tandava River. The structure has been designed to carry up to 10,634 cusecs of water, according to project details reported after the release.

The ₹4,192-crore canal is initially expected to provide irrigation to approximately 2.87 lakh acres across four districts. It is also projected to improve drinking-water access for about 5.23 lakh people.

Anakapalli district alone could receive irrigation benefits for nearly 1.5 lakh acres. Officials have also prepared plans to fill the Yeleru canal and 110 tanks in the district to strengthen local water availability.

The release is expected to stabilise irrigation across 1.48 lakh acres under the Pushkara ayacut, 80,000 acres under the Yeleru system and 12,000 acres under Pampa.

Another 46,620 acres covered by the Tandava, Varaha and Mamidi Gedda systems are also expected to benefit. These improvements could help farmers manage seasonal water shortages and support more reliable cultivation.

The canal is significant not only for agriculture but also for the long-term drinking-water and industrial requirements of North Andhra. Visakhapatnam’s expanding population and industrial activity have increased demand for dependable water sources.

Plans under discussion include using existing and proposed storage facilities to distribute the water. These facilities include Penjeruvu, Krishnampalem, Kondakarla Ava, Gopalapatnam Ava and the Kanithi Balancing Reservoir near the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

The government also plans to extend the canal’s benefits and connect it with the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project. The larger objective is to improve irrigation and drinking-water access across Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam and Srikakulam districts.

Naidu has repeatedly said that completing the Polavaram project is a priority for his government. The administration has been working towards a 2027 completion target for the remaining major components.

The latest water release demonstrates that the Left Main Canal can begin delivering benefits to parts of North Andhra while broader construction continues.

Its long-term impact will depend on sustained water availability, completion of distribution networks and the government’s ability to connect canals with reservoirs, tanks and local irrigation systems.

For farmers and residents of North Andhra, the arrival of Godavari water is a significant development. It is also an important operational step rather than the final completion of the entire Polavaram project.