NOTE ON INTER LINKING OF RIVERS

Andhra Pradesh is a land of many rivers and lakes and it is popularly referred as the
Riverine State. There are 40 major, medium and minor rivers in the state, of which Godavari,
Krishna and Pennar are prominent rivers in peninsular India. All these rivers carry 2765 TMC of
water annually at 75% dependable yield. Out of 40 rivers 15 rivers are interstate rivers. Out of
these the Krishna and Godavari river waters are covered by the Tribunal Awards. The Bahudha,
Vamsadhara, Nagavali, Palar, Ponniar river waters are covered by the Agreements among basin
states.
The Ministry of Water Resources formulated a National Perspective for Water
Development in August 1980. The National perspective Plan comprises of two components,
namely
i) Himalayan Rivers Development; and
ii) Peninsular Rivers Development.
The broad approach adopted in the National Perspective is given below.
i) Existing uses have been kept undisturbed.
ii) The development envisaged is within the framework of all the existing agreements between
the States.
iii) While planning inter basin and inter-State transfer of Water, reasonable needs of the basin
States for the foreseeable future have been kept in view and provided for.
iv) Most efficient use of land and water in the existing irrigation and hydro-power Stations has
been kept as the principal objective to be achieved.
The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was set up in July 1982 as registered
Society to carryout the water balance and other Studies on Scientific and realistic basis for
optimum utilisation of water resources of the Peninsular Rivers system for preparation of
feasibility reports and thus to give concrete shape initially to the Peninsular Rivers Development
component of the National Perspective Plan and the Himalayan Rivers Development Component
was added later.
The Mahanadi - Godavari link system comprises of Nine canal systems identified in
Peninsular component to divert the surplus water available in Mahanadi and Godavari to water
short basins of Krishna, Pennar, Cauvery and Vaigai. Eight out of Nine link Projects benefits the
Andhra Pradesh state.
Link proposals of Peninsular Rivers:- (Connected to Andhra Pradesh).

1) The Mahanadhi Godavari Link

.2) Godavari (Inchampalli) Krishna (Nagarjunasagar ) Link.
3) Godavari (Inchampalli_ - Krishna (Pulichintala) Link.
4) Godavari (Polavaram) Krishna (Vijayawada) Link.
5) Krishna (Almatti) Pennar Link.
6)Krishna (Srisailam) Pennar (Proddutur) Link.
7) Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) Pennar (Somasila) Link.
8) Somasila Grand Anicut Link

1) Mahanadi Vaigai link:

For diversion of 12165 Mm3 (430 TMC) water annually from Mahanadi river through
Mahanadi-Vaigai link. A masonry dam proposed by Govt. of Orissa with FRL of 91.00 m at
Manibhadra The link canal will provide irrigation to an area of 3,63,959 ha in the districts of
Nayagarh, Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Ganjam, and Gajapati of Orissa and Srikakulam, Vizianagaram
and Visakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh. In Andhra Pradesh State (i) C.C.A: 107189 ha, (ii)
Annual Irrigation: 91110 Ha (iii) Annual Utilisation: 606 Mm3.
About 802 Mm3 (28.322 TMC) of water for meeting the future domestic and industrial
requirements in the enroute command area of the link canal. Transmission loss in the link canal
is estimated to be 1073 Mm3 (37.892 TMC). Out of the total diversion of 12165 Mm 3, (429.603
TMC) a quantum of 6500 Mm3 (229.545 TMC) would be finally transferred to the Godavari
River through the link canal.
The power house will have an installed capacity of 70 MW.
2) Inchampally Nagargunasagar Link:
The project envisages diversion of 16426 Mm 3 (580.079 TMC) of water from the proposed
Inchampalli project on river Godavari to the existing Nagarjunasagar project on river Krishna.
1664 Mm3 (58.763 TMC) for irrigation, domestic and industrial uses in the command area
enroute and 562 Mm3 (19.846 TMC) transmission losses. The balance 14200 Mm3 (501.468
TMC) will reach Krishna at the existing Nagarjunasagar reservoir. After meeting the deficit in
Krishna basin the balance quantity will be further diverted to Pennar, Cauvery, Vaigai and
Gundar basins.
Total length of link canal is 299.25 Km.

3) Inchampally Pulichinthala:
The project envisages diversion of 4370 Mm3 (154.325 TMC) of water from the proposed
Inchampalli dam on river Godavari to the proposed Pulichintala reservoir on river Krishna. 3665
Mm3 (129.428 TMC) is earmarked for irrigation. 413 Mm3 (14.584 TMC) for municipal &
industrial purposes. 292 Mm3 (10.312 TMC) will be the transmission losses. Length of link
canal is 312.2 km (including 12.50 km long tunnel proposed to cross the ridge between Godavari
& Krishna basins).
It is proposed to bring 445299 ha of CCA under irrigation, comprising proposed command
of 85230 ha (IRBC 48230 ha, command area of 37000 ha under NSLBC beyond Tammileru) and
existing command taken over by link canal to the tune of 360069 ha (NSLBC 156700 ha and
NSRBC 203369 ha).

4) Polavaram- Vijayawada link:

The diversion of 5325 Mm3 (188.051 TMC) of water is envisaged through the canal. This
will cater to: (i) transfer of 2265 Mm3 (79.987 TMC) to the Krishna delta as committed under
the GWDT award, (ii) en route irrigation requirement of 1402 Mm3 (49.511 TMC), (iii) en route
domestic and industrial requirements of 162 Mm3 (5.721 TMC) and (iv) transmission losses of
260 Mm3 (9.181 TMC). The remaining 1236 Mm3 (43.649 TMC) of water will also be utilised
for stabilising the existing ayacut under Krishna delta. With the quantity of 1402 Mm3 of water
available for en route irrigation, an area of 139740 ha (CCA) will be benefited. The entire canal
and the command areas lie in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
5) Almatti- Pennar link:
The link envisages diversion of 1980 Mm3 (69.923 TMC) of waters from Krishna for
enroute utilisation in Krishna and Pennar basins. A 587.175 km long link canal off takes from the
right bank of Almatti dam and outfalls into Maddileru river, a tributary of Pennar river. The
annual irrigation proposed through the link is 258334 ha Domestic and industrial requirements
22 Mm3 (0.777 TMC) and 34 Mm3 (1.200 TMC) respectively. Transmission loss in the link
canal is estimated to be 210 Mm3 (7.416 TMC). A power house is proposed at the canal off take
with an installed capacity of 13.5 MW and annual power generation of about 42.5 MU.
6) Krishna (Srisailam) -Pennar link:

Link canal off takes from the foreshore of the existing Srisailam Reservoir and envisaged
through the Srisailam Right Main Canal upto Banakacherla cross regulator then from the water
will be let out into Nippulavagu stream through an existing escape channel. The water will reach
the Pennar river through natural stream Nippulavagu, Galeru and Kunderu. The total length of
the link is 204 km. The proposed diversion through the link is 82 TMC, out of which 74 TMC
will be discharged in to the Pennar river and 8 TMC being transmission losses.
The link canal envisages diversion of 2310 Mm3 (81.577 TMC) of water from Srisailam
reservoir on Krishna to Pennar river through natural streams in partial exchange to the surplus
water of Mahanadi and Godavari rivers proposed to be brought to the Krishna river. This link
canal, however, serves no irrigation or power purposes.
7) Nagarjunasagar-Somasila link:
The link project envisages diversion of 12146 Mm 3 (428.932 TMC) of water from
Nagarjunasagar, part of it (8167 Mm3(288.415 TMC)) through the link canal and the balance
through the existing Nagarjunasagar Right Bank Canal (NSRBC). Out of the 3979 Mm 3
(140.517 TMC) diverted through NSRBC, 2356 Mm 3 (83.201 TMC) would be to meet part
demand of the existing command area of NSRBC. The remaining part of the demand (1623 Mm 3
(57.315 TMC)) is proposed to be met from the Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna (Pulichintala)
link canal. The total length of Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila) link canal is 393.02
km. The canal will run parallel and adjacent to the existing NSRBC upto the tail end of NSRBC
at 202.75 km and then traverse a distance of 190.27 km before joining Somasila reservoir on
Pennar. The balance quantity of 1623 Mm3 (57.315 TMC) available in NSRBC after meeting the
demands of NSRBC is proposed to be transferred from NSRBC to the link canal at the tail end of
NSRBC. Thus a total quantity of 9790 Mm3 would flow through the link canal after the tail end
of NSRBC.
8) Somasila-Grand Anicut Link:
Link canal off takes from existing Somasila dam and outfalls in to Grand Anicut across
river Cauvery in Tamilnadu. The total length of the link canal is 529 km. The proposed diversion
through the link is 302 TMC, out of which 108 TMC for enroute irrigation and 136 TMC will be
discharged in to the Cauvery. About 20 TMC estimated for transmission losses besides 39 TMC

for Domestic & Industrial use. Under this link irrigation is contemplated for 0.49 Lakh ha (1.21
lakh acres) in Nellore and Chittoor Districts of A.P, 4.36 Lakh ha (10.77 lakh acres) in Tamilnadu
and 0.06 Lakh ha(0.15 lakh acres) in Pondichery.
It is also submitted that the broad views presented on behalf of Andhra Pradesh at the first
meeting of the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers held on 17-10-2014 are as
follows.
1) Broadly we support the concept.
2) No Separation of Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers artificially, as Peninsular Rivers are not
perennial and benefits to south of the country is possible only when part of the flow of
Himalayan Rivers is Tapped for use in the Peninsula.
3) An integrated plan for the entire country has to be agreed firstly. A piece-Meal Plan would
cause huge disturbances in water availability across states and would not find acceptability.
4) The assured Ayacut of various projects shall not be disturbed and shall have first priority in
scheme of things.
5) Receipt of flood waters cannot be as a substitute for assured flow in any state.
6) All flows shall, as far as possible, be by gravity. The overall scheme design should optimize of
use of power for pushing water.
7) All committee and Sub-committee should be bound by agreed Principles.
8)The first task of the National Water Grid shall be arrive at the first Principles based on which
further work will be taken up Committees/ Sub-Committees.
9) No DPR is Possible till the basic Principles and the country wide Plan are agreed upon by
consensus.
10) Any decision on any matter would be possible only after Government of Andhra Pradesh
examines the same.
In the meeting of Jalamanthan on 21-11-2014 at New Delhi chaired by the Honble
Union Minister of Water Resources, Honble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh gave power point
presentation to the

audience and impressed that the state of Andhra Pradesh is poised for

interlinking of Rivers of Godavari, Krishna and Pennar.

In the Second meeting of Special Committee for inter-linking of rivers held on
06.01.2015 at 11:00AM in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the Honble Minister for Irrigation,
Command Area Development and Water Resources Management, Andhra Pradesh while
supporting the need for interlinking of rivers mentioned that the State of Andhra Pradesh is
taking up diversion of waters from river Godavari at Pattiseema to Krishna river through
Polavaram Project Right Main Canal in order to achieve early benefits under Polavaram Project.

In the Third meeting of Special Committee for inter-linking of rivers held on

19.03.2015 at 03:00PM in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the Chief Engineer, Hydrology attended
the above meeting on behalf of State of Andhra Pradesh.
Now out of the above mentioned 8 link proposals,the following Three links will fall into
inter-linking/ intra-linking category in the State of Andhra Pradesh post bifurcation.
1) Polavaram- Vijayawada link
2) Krishna (Srisailam) - Pennar link
3) Nagarjunasagar-Somasila link
In addition to the above, the following Intra-linking projects can be proposed in the Andhra
Pradesh state
1) Vamsadhara Nagavali link
2) Krishna (Vijayawada) Somasila link