Polavaram Banakacherla Link Project

The Central government has decided to establish a high-level technical committee to examine concerns surrounding the Polavaram Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP) and other outstanding inter-state water issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Key Agreements Between States:

• Telemetry Devices: Both states have agreed to the installation of telemetry devices for real-time monitoring of water flows in the Krishna Basin.
• Srisailam Dam Maintenance: Immediate measures will be taken to address maintenance issues to safeguard the Srisailam dam.
• Krishna River Management Board Office: The office of the Krishna River Management Board will be shifted to Vijayawada/Amravati.

Details of the Polavaram Banakacherla Link Project (PBLP):

• Project Location:
  • The Polavaram project is located in Eluru and East Godavari districts (Andhra Pradesh).
  • Banakacherla lies in Kurnool district (Andhra Pradesh).
• Andhra Pradesh’s Plan:
  • Andhra Pradesh plans to divert Godavari flood waters to the Prakasam Barrage on the Krishna River at Vijayawada.
  • From there, water will be pumped to the Bollapalli reservoir via canals and irrigation lifts.
  • Subsequently, tunnels passing under the Nallamala forests will transfer water to the Banakacherla reservoir, benefiting the Kadapa and Kurnool regions.
• Telangana’s Concerns:
  • The Telangana government has expressed concerns that this project could potentially impact irrigation for 8.1 lakh acres under the left branch canal in their state.