The construction of the Polavaram Project will be completed by 2027 as it is the lifeline for the State, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said.

Speaking to newspersons after inspecting the on-going construction work of the multi-purpose project in Polavaram on Thursday, Naidu said the rehabilitation of all displaced families would also be completed before the release of water into the project. 

“Rehabilitation of all the displaced will be completed before the water is released from the project. The project will be inaugurated only after that,” Mr Chandrababu Naidu, who is on a visit to Polavaram, said during an interaction with the displaced. Earlier, the Chief Minister inspected the ongoing project works through aerial view.

Ensuring justice

The responsibility of ensuring justice to the displaced who sacrificed everything for the project was totally on the State Government, the Chief Minister said adding only nominal compensation was paid the displaced before the TDP-led NDA came to power in 2014 which paid ₹4,311 crore, But the party (YSRC Congress Party) which was in power during 2019-24 `totally neglected’ the issue, he alleged. 

“As seven mandals in Telangana needed to be merged with Andhra Pradesh for completing Polavaram, we could convince the then Prime Minister for it. After the TDP-led NDA came to power in 2024, ₹829 cr was deposited to the accounts of the displaced,” Naidu said.

He assured the refugees that rehabilitation will be completed by 2027 without giving any chance to middlemen and cheats. “There are complaints from some affected that their names have been deleted and necessary action will be taken after an inquiry into the matter. Compensation will be paid for all the eligible and we will ensure that justice is done to anyone,” the Chief Minister said.

Published on March 27, 2025