Krishna water to quench thirst of Tirumala, Tirupati
Tirupati: Fulfillingh is promise, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will be laying foundation stone for a major water project aimed at improving irrigation and drinking water supply in Tirupati district. The Rs 126 crore initiative will bring Krishna river water from Handri–Neeva branch canal to Kalyani dam using a combination of lift and gravity pipelines.
The project is expected to strengthen water security in the region by supporting irrigation over more than 1,100 acres and ensuring a steady supply of drinking water to Tirupati and Tirumala.
The proposal received clearance from the State Cabinet in October 2025, after which a government order was issued. Once operational, the system will carry about 432 million cubic feet of water. The water will flow through a series of local tanks before finally reaching Kalyani dam, helping revive traditional water bodies along the way.
Krishna water has already been brought to Kuppam through Handri–Neeva Kuppam branch canal. During August 2025, the Chief Minister had performed jalaharati at Paramasamudram tank in Kuppam and announced plans to complete Neeva branch canal to extend Krishna water to more areas. This announcement paved the way for cabinet approval and the formal government order later that year.
As part of Sankranti festivities, Naidu will visit his native village Naravaripalle and lay foundation stone for the project on January 13 at Moolapalle tank. The event marks the revival of a long-pending project that was first proposed in 2014 but was put on hold after a change in government in 2019.
Handri–Neeva main canal stretches over 554 kilometres and ends at Adavipalle reservoir in KV Palle mandal. From there, Punganur and Kuppam branch canals take off. Neeva branch canal begins at Adavipalle and runs for about 122 kilometres up to Chittoor. It has been designed to meet both irrigation and drinking water needs and is expected to stabilise irrigation for nearly 50,000 acres.
At a point 53 kilometres along Neeva branch canal, water will be lifted by about 10 metres and then directed to several local tanks, including Moolapalle, Kondreddy Kandriga, Kaniti Madugu, Nagapatla and Venkatarayani tanks. This will help restore their ayacut areas and improve irrigation for farmers in the surrounding villages.
Specifically, Moolapalli tank will get 10 MCft to irrigate 259.19 acres, Kondreddy Kandriga 4.40 MCft for 110.92 acres, Kaniti Madugu 8 MCft for 500 acres, Nagapatla 6 MCft for 167.92 acres and Venkatarayani 3.90 MCft for 116 acres. A large share of the water, nearly 400 million cubic feet, will ultimately be diverted to Kalyani dam to meet drinking water requirements of urban areas.
According to irrigation department officials, the project will come into operation once water reaches Adavipalle reservoir through the main canal. The system is designed to supply water for around 120 days each year, helping stabilise existing agricultural lands in Chandragiri constituency. The work is expected to be completed within two years and, once finished, is seen as a long-term answer to recurring water shortages in Tirupati and Tirumala, benefiting both farmers and the growing urban population.
