Retired engineers back Godavari-Banakacherla project, assert AP’s rights over flood waters

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

The proposed Godavari-Banakacherla Link Project has received strong support from the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Department Retired Engineers Association, which has asserted that Andhra Pradesh, as the lower riparian state, possesses full rights to utilize surplus floodwaters flowing through the Godavari River.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Association President M. Visweswara Rao and General Secretary Narasimha Murthy expressed their support for the state’s plan to harness Godavari floodwaters through the ambitious inter-basin water transfer project.

The retired engineers cited the landmark verdict of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) delivered in 1978, arguing that while water allocations were made to upstream states on a project-specific basis, Andhra Pradesh enjoys complete freedom to utilize surplus floodwaters that flow downstream after those allocations are met.

According to the association, provisions of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 do not empower either the Central Government or upstream states to object to the utilization of such surplus floodwaters by Andhra Pradesh. The engineers maintained that the state’s proposal is legally sustainable and consistent with the framework laid down by the tribunal.

The association highlighted the long-term benefits of the Godavari-Banakacherla project, stating that surplus floodwaters would be stored in the proposed Bollapalli Reservoir and subsequently diverted to drought-prone regions of Rayalaseema and parts of South Coastal Andhra. They noted that the project has the potential to provide irrigation security for more than 75 percent of agricultural lands in districts such as Kurnool, Kadapa and Prakasam, which frequently face water scarcity.

Beyond irrigation, the retired engineers argued that the project would strengthen drinking water supplies, improve agricultural productivity, enhance groundwater recharge and contribute significantly to the state’s economic stability. They described the project as a transformational initiative capable of addressing long-standing regional imbalances in water availability.

The endorsement assumes significance at a time when discussions and legal debates continue between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the sharing and utilization of Godavari waters. With interstate water management emerging as a key issue in the region, the retired engineers’ association has sought to reinforce the state’s position by emphasizing both the legal and technical basis for proceeding with the project.

The association urged the state government to move forward confidently with the Godavari-Banakacherla Link Project, describing it as a strategic solution for securing Andhra Pradesh’s long-term water, irrigation and developmental needs.