Tadepalli (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 29 (ANI): YSRCP leaders said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is rewriting the history of the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project and claiming credit for work executed largely during the governments of YS Rajasekhara Reddy and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
YSRCP Campaign Wing State President Kakamanu Rajasekhar, along with former and sitting legislators who addressed the media in Markapuram, said Chandrababu laid the foundation stone in 1996 but failed to take the project into meaningful construction during his subsequent years in power.
"It was YSR who redesigned Veligonda under Jalayagnam with twin tunnels, Nallamala Sagar, three dams, feeder channels and major canals, transforming it into a major irrigation project aimed at serving 4.47 lakh acres and providing drinking water to 15.25 lakh people across 30 mandals," Rajasekhar said.
They said 20.33 km of tunnel excavation was completed during the construction phase initiated by YSR, while only 6.686 km was excavated during Chandrababu's 2014-19 tenure despite repeated deadlines. Under YS Jagan, the remaining highly difficult 10.568 km was completed despite Covid, technical constraints and TBM problems. Tunnel-1 achieved breakthrough in 2021 and Tunnel-2 in 2024, after which YS Jagan dedicated the twin tunnels to the nation on March 6, 2024.
Of the total 37.587 km of tunnel excavation, 30.901 km, or 82.2%, was completed during the YSR-initiated phase and YS Jagan's tenure, compared with Chandrababu's 17.8%, they said.
The leaders questioned why the government was projecting feeder canal lining and finishing works as though the entire project had been built now. They also demanded completion of the Teegaleru canal and full R&R for displaced families before ceremonial inaugurations, saying families should not be forced out without compensation, housing and basic amenities.
YSRCP challenged Chandrababu Naidu to an open debate with official records on expenditure, tunnel-wise excavation, R&R and pending works, and asked him to stop appropriating the decades-long contribution of YSR and YS Jagan. (ANI)
Veligonda built by YSR-Jagan, Naidu claims credit: YSRCP
