nharshakumar: Nagarjuna Sagar Project

The multipurpose Nagarjunasagar Project on the river Krishna near the then Nandikonda village (now Hill Colony), Peddavoora Mandal, Nalgonda District, is the pride of Andhra Pradesh.

Even though the Project was also conceived by the erstwhile Government of Hyderabad and put forth under the name 'Lower Krishna Project' (Nandikonda site) nothing much has happened. However, Muktyala Raja's singular efforts were mainly responsible for Khosla committee visiting the site, submitting favorable report and approval by Planning commission with the help of then Governor Chandulal Trivedi, Acharya NG Ranga, Kotha Raghuramaiah, Vavilala Gopala Krishnaiah, Moturi Satyanarayana and KL Rao culminating in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laying foundation stone on Dec 10, 1955.

The Planning Commission appointed the Khosla Committee to examine and report on the optimum and most beneficial utilization of Krishna River waters. The recommendations of the Committee, which were later endorsed by the Planning Commission in December, 1952, are to construct Nandikonda Dam across Krishna River with full reservoir level at +590.00 feet with canals taking off on either side. Water allocated to the Project is 281 TMC. The foundation stone of the Dam was laid by the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India on 10.12.1955. The Nandikonda Project was renamed as Nagarjunasagar Project under the inspiring name of the great Buddhist Savant, Acharya Nagarjuna and construction commenced from the year 1956 and Dam construction was completed in the year 1969 and water was first let out partially in the canals during the year 1967. Erection of gates on spillway was completed during the year 1974.

This irrigation project comprises of a 409 feet high Masonry Dam flanked with Earthen Dams to a maximum height of 85 feet to create a lake with gross storage capacity of 408.24 TMC at +590.00 feet level, with two canals taking off from the reservoir at either flank. This project also stabilizes irrigation under Krishna Delta System and the required water to Krishna delta is released through 8 power Units with an installed capacity to generate 810 M.W. of power.

The designed discharging capacity of the two main canals is 11,000 Cusecs each with provision for increasing the capacity. This project is having a vast net work of irrigation system spread over 5 districts. The length of the Right Main Canal is 126 miles with an ayacut of 11.13 lakh acres (4.505 lakh Ha.). The length of the Left Main Canal is 111 miles with an ayacut of 9.555 lakhs acres (3.869 lakh Ha.). The length of Branch Canals and Distributors under Right and left canal and left Canal is 9000 miles, 6000 miles respectively. The latest reassessed cost of the project is Rs. 1025 Crores.