Hope flows anew with revival of Andhra’s Veligonda project
The Andhra Pradesh government has made progress on the Veligonda project, a major irrigation and drinking water initiative designed to combat chronic drought and fluoride contamination. The project aims to divert Krishna river water to provide relief to water-scarce regions.
Why it matters
This project represents a critical infrastructure investment aimed at long-term climate adaptation and public health improvement for rural populations.
The Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project (PSVP) gained significant momentum on August 31, 2026, when Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu released Krishna water into Nallamalasagar through the twin tunnels and feeder canal. The project is designed to draw 43.50 TMC of Krishna floodwater from the foreshore of the Srisailam Reservoir , through Kollam Vagu, and traversing across the Nallamala hills to Nallamalasagar.
Conceived as a long-term response to chronic drought, depleted water resources, and fluoride contamination in parts of the region, the project aims to create a large irrigation network while extending drinking water facilities to drought-prone populations.
For nearly four decades, the people of the region have been battling water scarcity issues, combined with groundwater fluoride levels that are ten times higher than permissible levels. The project has been planned as a permanent water supply intervention, combining irrigation, drinking water provision, and groundwater recharge.
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