A.P. incurred losses close to ₹50,000 crore due to delay in construction of Polavaram project, says Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu

Andhra Pradesh faces ₹50,000 crore loss due to Polavaram project delays, with new diaphragm wall construction underway.

Andhra Pradesh incurred a loss close to ₹50,000 crore due to delays in construction and completion of the Polavaram project Minister for Water Resources Nimmala Ramanaidu said. The previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government’s incompetent governance and illogical decisions during its five-year rule resulted in huge losses of potential benefits, he added.

The Minister made these remarks during the Question Hour in the Legislative Council on Thursday, responding to questions about the Polavaram diaphragm wall. 

Mr. Ramanaidu noted that the construction of the new diaphragm wall would require an additional expenditure of ₹1,000 crore. The project would have been completed if the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government continued in 2019. Not just that, water would have been made available to Rayalaseema and North Andhra regions, leading to substantial agricultural benefits, he said.

Referring to diaphragm wall, the Minister said experts from IIT Hyderabad had investigated and submitted their  report. “The team of experts confirmed that the diaphragm wall damage was not caused by a natural disaster but due to human error,” he said.

Mr. Ramanaidu said a work schedule has been released for the Polavaram project, and the work is progressing without any delays. Concrete construction works for the new diaphragm wall commenced on January 18, 2025 and are being carried out on a war-footing. The aim is to complete the construction by December this year. Efforts would be made to take up construction of the ECRF dam once the diaphragm wall issue was resolved.  The government is committed to completing the Polavaram project by December 2027, he added.