Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is set to make his third strategic visit to the Polavaram project in just nine months, signaling the government’s unwavering commitment to this critical water infrastructure. Scheduled for a comprehensive site inspection, Naidu will spend nearly five hours exploring the project’s current status and discussing crucial rehabilitation matters.

The project is gaining momentum as 28 primary panels have been completed out of the total 389 required. The government is strategically working on the diaphragm wall construction, targeting completion by December next year. Water resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu highlighted the project’s significance, noting how the previous administration’s inaction resulted in additional costs nearly touching 990 crores.

The TDP-led government has already disbursed over 900 crores in compensation to displaced residents and sanctioned 216 crores for rehabilitation colony construction. Insiders suggest the Chief Minister might make key announcements regarding compensation for long-displaced families, especially those waiting for settlements since 2017.

Minister Ramanaidu pointedly remarked about the project’s transformation, stating that while the previous government showed minimal progress on paper, Chandrababu Naidu took immediate action, conducting his first site visit within weeks of becoming Chief Minister. The Polavaram project continues to be seen as the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh, with the current government pushing its rapid completion.