Modernising Dowleswaram Barrage with 117 new gates at Rs 150 crore: Andhra CM

Picchukalanka (Andhra Pradesh), Jul 13 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said that 117 new gates are being fixed at over Rs 150 crore for the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Dowleswaram for its protection. Addressing a public meeting here in Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district, the chief minister observed that the barrage gates are being modernised. "We are modernising Dowleswaram Barrage (Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage) gates, a project which is crucial for the Godavari Delta. We are fixing 117 new gates with Rs 152 crore to protect the barrage," Naidu said, adding that the gates will be installed in nine months. After a British irrigation engineer, Sir Arthur Cotton, had built the Dowleswaram Barrage, Naidu said another barrage had to be built, which was started by former CM NT Rama Rao. Noting that the new barrage enabled the storage of 2.9 TMC water, he said it could also withstand a flood of 32.2 lakh cusecs water, including irrigating 10.1 lakh acres in eastern, central and western deltas. Further, the CM promised to complete the Polavaram Project before the Godavari Pushkaralu, a Kumbh Mela-like pilgrimage, in 2027. Once the Polavaram Project is completed, he said there will not be any water scarcity in the Godavari districts. According to the CM, Godavari river water was routed to the Krishna Delta through the Pattiseema Project. Pattiseema Project has changed the face of the Rayalaseema region, and micro-irrigation has also developed, along with the development of horticulture, among other benefits. Naidu said that his government is rebuilding the state, underlining that he, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and actor-politician Pawan Kalyan were "living up to the promises made". He also said that they are leading the state from "destruction to development" and offering "welfare schemes unlike any other time in history." He promised to disburse funds of 'Talliki Vandanam', a welfare scheme that offers Rs 15,000 per school-going child a year, in July. Further, Naidu alleged that the erstwhile YSRCP government had destroyed the Polavaram Project's diaphragm wall and claimed that the project was completed up to 72 per cent between 2014 and 2019 during the erstwhile TDP government. Had the TDP government continued after 2019, Naidu claimed, the Polavaram Project could have been completed by 2021, and added that the project is now complete up to 89 per cent, following the formation of the TDP-led NDA government in 2024. In the past two years, the CM said Rs 24,000 crore was spent on irrigation, and 36 new gates were installed at Tungabhadra Dam. Further, Naidu said the government will organise the Godavari Pushkaralu in a prestigious manner and promised to build the pushkar ghats fully. He said Rs 1,200 crore will be spent in Rajahmundry alone for the mega pilgrimage. Naidu promised to set up a cocoa city in the Godavari region. Reflecting on El Nino, he said 25 per cent lower rainfall was recorded, and inflows in rivers were dwindling, calling on farmers to "understand the weather patterns" and then sow their crops. The CM promised to develop tourism in Picchukulanka and Bojjarlalanka and also take up Godavari delta modernisation, along with Konaseema railway line connectivity. PTI STH ADB