Nagarjuna Sagar Dam completes 64 years, 22 lakh acres to be irrigated in near future

It has been 64 years since the inception of the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam in 1955. Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, laid the foundation for the construction of the dam to provide water for undivided Andhra Pradesh on December 10, 1955. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru organized a foundation stone laying ceremony at Pylon and Vijayapurisouth.

The construction of the project with 26 crest gates has been undertaken to retain water from Srisailam Reservoir to Nagarjunasagar at Nandikonda Project. Besides, the central hydroelectric station along the right and left canals from the Sagar Reservoir have been constructed.

The project began in 1967 by former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi. The right canal was named after Jawaharlal Nehru while the left one was named after Lal Bahadur Shastri Shastri.

From Vijayapurisouth, the dam flows 392 km through the right-hand tunnel and plans are underway to irrigate 11 lakh acres of its territory. However, due to various developments, the extent of cultivation has been reduced. Similarly, arrangements have been made to fill more 11 lakh acres within 349 km of the left canal by which 22 lakh acres will have water to irrigate.