Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday launched a significant ₹152.95 crore infrastructure project at the historic Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Dowleswaram, kicking off a packed district tour focused entirely on the state’s major irrigation frameworks.
The day-long tour began in the morning at Pitchuka Lanka in the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, where the Chief Minister performed the ‘bhumi puja’ to officially start the replacement of 117 aging crest gates at the barrage.
The modernization project, executed in accordance with recommendations from the Dam Safety Review Panel and the Central Water Commission (CWC), aims to phase out old, structurally compromised metal components to prevent potential operational failures during peak seasonal floods.
Out of the barrage’s 175 total gates spread across a 5.83 km expanse, 58 were previously replaced during the 2014–15 fiscal year. The remaining 117 gates are scheduled to be fully updated by July 2028, securing the primary irrigation lifeline for 10 lakh acres of agricultural land across the Godavari delta.
Following the ceremony and a brief interaction with local delta farmers to discuss water supply stability, Chief Minister Naidu traveled by helicopter to the Eluru district to inspect the ongoing works at the Polavaram national project.
During the afternoon site visit, the Chief Minister conducted field inspections of the Earth-cum-Rockfill (ECRF) dam area, the diaphragm wall, and the connected canal networks.
The visit concluded with a high-level review meeting with project engineers, water resource department officials, and contracting agencies to evaluate progress milestones and finalize upcoming engineering timelines for the multi-purpose project.
