AP Plans to Raise Yanamadurru Drain Capacity to 30,000 Cusecs

The Andhra Pradesh government is preparing proposals to increase the carrying capacity of the Yanamadurru Drain in West Godavari district from the existing 23,000 cusecs to 30,000 cusecs, as part of a wider effort to strengthen drainage and irrigation infrastructure in the Godavari Delta.

Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu announced the proposal during the Assembly’s monsoon session in Amaravati. He said 70 of the drain’s 86 inlets are in a dilapidated condition and will be reconstructed alongside measures to enhance the drain’s capacity.

The Yanamadurru Drain, which passes through Bhimavaram, is also facing severe pollution. Ramanaidu said black water containing toxic chemicals is currently flowing through the drain. He recalled that the waterway was once navigable, with people from villages around Bhimavaram using boats for transportation until the early 1990s.

The coalition government has already reconstructed 10 inlets at a cost of ₹3.2 crore, while additional restoration works are being planned.

The government is also focusing on the development of Upputeru, where the Yanamadurru Drain meets the sea. A LiDAR survey of canals and drains across the Godavari Delta has been completed, with ₹14 crore allocated for the exercise. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) is currently under preparation.

Ramanaidu said Godavari Delta modernisation is among the state’s 36 priority irrigation projects, with the government aiming to complete the works within three years and before 2029. He alleged that inadequate operation and maintenance funding between 2019 and 2024 contributed to the deterioration of the delta’s irrigation network.

The minister said the present government has allocated more than ₹1,100 crore for O&M works during its first two years, covering desilting and repairs to locks, shutters, ropes and other infrastructure.

Meanwhile, estimates are being prepared for the ₹50-crore Kesanapalli Canal Project in Rajolu constituency of Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district. The project is expected to provide irrigation to 2,686 acres of new ayacut and address seawater intrusion affecting coconut-growing villages.

The government has also released ₹21 crore for Shankaraguptham Drain restoration after inspections and reviews. About 25% of the work has been completed, with the remaining works targeted for completion by May 2027, Ramanaidu said.