Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to release water from the expanded Phase-1 canal of the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) project on July 17, at the Malyala Pumping Station of Nandikotkur mandal in Nandyal district.
The expansion of HNSS Phase-1 canal had been completed, increasing its capacity from 2,200 cusecs to 3,850 cusecs, an official press release said here on Tuesday.
This canal was expected to facilitate the transfer of water up to the Jeedipalli Reservoir and beyond, with the government targeting the Chittoor and Punganur branch canals by the end of this month.
The expansion, taken up at a cost of ₹696 crore, would enable an additional 1,600 cusecs of water to be carried through the canal network. Officials said the project aimed at addressing the drinking water and irrigation needs of Rayalaseema, covering parts of Kurnool, Anantapur, Chittoor, and Kadapa districts.
Water from the canal would benefit 6 lakh acres and provide drinking water to approximately 33 lakh people once Phase-1 and Phase-2 become fully operational. Under Phase-1, around 2,906 acres in Nandyal, 77,094 acres in Kurnool, and 1.18 lakh acres in Anantapur were set to receive irrigation supply. Phase-2 was projected to serve 2.27 lakh acres in Anantapur, 37,500 acres in Kadapa, and 1.40 lakh acres in Chittoor.
The release also mentioned that the government mobilised efforts to complete 216-km of canal works from Malyala to Jeedipalli, and planned to refill local reservoirs like Jeedipalli, Krishnagiri, Pathikonda, and Gajuladinne. The improved canal capacity was expected to allow full utilisation of the project’s 40 tmc ft water allocation this year — reportedly for the first time in over a decade.
The Water Resources Department executed the works over a 100-day period beginning in April 2025. The government plans to complete the remaining Phase-2 works by this month-end and supply water to the tail-end ayacut areas in Punganur and Kuppam.
A total expenditure of ₹3,890 crore had been earmarked for Phases 1 and 2 of the HNSS project, the release added.
Published – July 16, 2025 03:46 am IST
