Veligonda Project

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Veligonda Project
India Andhra Pradesh relief map.svg
Red pog.svg
Position
Official namePoola Subbaiah Veligonda Project
Country India
LocationDams at Kakarla, Gottipadia, Sunkesula, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh
Coordinates 15°38′59″N79°6′37″E / 15.64972°N 79.11028°E / 15.64972; 79.11028
Purpose Irrigation & Drinking water
StatusUnder construction
Construction began2006
Owner(s)Andhra Pradesh Government
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Dam
Reservoir
CreatesNallamala Reservoir
Total capacity43.5 TMC
Website
irrigationap.cgg.gov.in/wrd/static/approjects/poola.html


The Veligonda Project is an irrigation project located in Markapur, Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, India. [1] When completed, the project will provide irrigational facilities to 447,000 acres and drinking water to 1.5 million people in 30 Mandals of fluoride and drought affected areas in Prakasam district, Nellore district and Kadapa district by diverting 43.5 TMC of floodwater from the Krishna River from foreshore of Srisailam Reservoir near Kollamvagu and proposed to store in Nallamalasagar Reservoir. The water for the project is drawn through two 18.8 km long tunnels across Nallamala hills. [2] [3] The project has been renamed to the "Poola Subbaiah Irrigation Project". [4] [5] It displaces around 20,946 families. [6] The oustees have protested for enhanced compensation over the years and many have not received the compensation promised to them. [7]

Contents

Design

Veligonda Project.svg

Veligonda Project
Veligonda project components overlaid on map


The design includes two parallel tunnels of 18.8 km with 7 m (tunnel 1) and 9.2 m (tunnel 2) internal diameter and a 21.6 km flood flow canal for the water transmission system linking Srisailam reservoir to a reservoir called 'Nallamala Sagar'. Nallamala Sagar is planned to have 43.5 Tmcft live storage at 244 m msl full reservoir level and 214.3 m msl minimum draw down level. [8] Full supply level to the tunnels from the Srisailam reservoir is 857 ft msl (261.2 m msl) and the sill level at tunnels water inlet is 840 ft msl (256.03 m msl).


Irrigation to 1.19 lakh acres and drinking water to 4 lakh population in Prakasam district is planned as part of the first stage. In the second stage, irrigation to 3.28 lakh acres and drinking water to 11.25 lakh population in 30 mandals of Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts is planned. Velagalapalle lift irrigation scheme, Papinenipalli lift irrigation scheme are also part of the project. About 2.58 TMC water to the mega industrial hub at Donakonda in Prakasam district and another 1.27 TMC water National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) in Pamuru and Pedacherlopalle mandals of Prakasam district are also parts of the expanded scope of the project. [9]

Construction

The project construction was started by YS Rajasekhara Reddy when he was the CM of the undivided AP in 2006. The project works were completed by more than 50 per cent by time of his sudden death in 2009. With successive governments not giving required funds, the progress hit the roadblock. The contractors who bagged the project were also vexed due to difficulties in making the tunnels in the toughest terrain. The tunnel-1 which was 18.787 km long was completed for a length of 13.6 km by 2014. Although digging of just around 5 km is left to commission the project, the irrigation department could complete only around 2 kms between 2014-19. [10]

The project is being implemented by a double shielded tunnel boring machine to make the tunnel without disturbing wildlife in the Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve. [11]

18.2 km (11.3 mi) of the first tunnel, and 11.02 km (6.85 mi) of the second tunnel digging were completed by January 2020. The first tunnel completed as of 14 January 2021. [12] The remaining length of second tunnel is completed using drilling and blasting method by January 2024 albeit with 5 m diameter instead of 9.2 m paving the way to fill the project reservoir. [13]

As of August 2024, nearly Rs 4000 crores works are incomplete to fill the Nallamallasagar reservoir. The expected date of reservoir filling is in August 2025 if all the pending works are completed as expected. [14]

Project Timeline

Administrative Approval2004-07-09
Tender2005-03-15
Technical Sanction2006-05-19
Tunnels excavation completed 2024-01-24
Water releaseAugust 2025

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References

  1. ↑ "Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project". Irrigation dept, Govt. of A.P.
  2. ↑ "AP CM Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu inspecting the construction of Veligonda Project". The Rahnuma Daily. 3 November 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  3. ↑ Nandam, Naresh (2 November 2018). "Will review the works of Veligonda project every month: CM Chandrababu". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "Andhra Pradesh / 'Velugonda' to be named after Poola Subbaiah". The Hindu . 1 August 2005. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Rao, M. Malleswara (25 March 2013). "The Hindu: Work on Veligonda project resumes". The Hindu. TheHindu.com.
  6. ↑ "Government to focus on Polavaram rehabilitation and resettlement". The New Indian Express. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  7. ↑ "15 Years On, AP Families Displaced by Veligonda Project Fight for Fair Compensation". Land Conflict Watch. Archived from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  8. ↑ "Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project" . Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  9. ↑ "Jagan Mohan Reddy to inaugurate Veligonda project twin tunnels today". The New Indian Express. 6 March 2024.
  10. ↑ "veliginda project may be inaugurated in September". The Times of india. 10 January 2023.
  11. ↑ "Double Shield bores Water Transfer Tunnel beneath Indian Tiger Sanctuary". The Robbins company. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "'వెలిగొండ' మొదటి సొరంగం పూర్తి". sakshi. 14 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "Excavation works of Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project's tunnel two completed in Andhra Pradesh, says official". The Hindu. 24 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "Andhra Pradesh govt keen on completing Veligonda Project in a year says irrigation minister Nimmala Ramanaidu". Times of India. 21 August 2024.
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