Amaravati in safe zone: Narayana

Municipal and Urban Development Minister Ponguru Narayana has assured that Amaravati remains entirely safe and unaffected by the recent floods. He criticised the previous YSRCP government for allegedly spreading false claims that Amaravati was inundated due to the Krishna River’s floods. He urged the public to disregard such misinformation.
Addressing the media at the CRDA headquarters in Vijayawada on Monday, Minister Narayana highlighted that the YSRCP government had not only questioned Amaravati’s suitability as the capital but also petitioned the World Bank to withhold funds.
Despite the Krishna River’s record flood of 11.43 lakh cusecs, the minister affirmed that Amaravati faced no issues. He noted that during Amaravati’s design phase, plans for canals and reservoirs to manage floodwaters were proposed. Gravity canals have been designed to align with the flow of Kondaveeti Vagu and Pala Vagu. Tenders will soon be issued to complete these canals before the next monsoon. The project includes a 23.6 km stretch of Kondaveeti Vagu from Anantavaram to Undavalli, a 16.7 km stretch of Pala Vagu from Dondapadu to Krishnayapalem, and an 8 km stretch of Vaikuntapuram gravity canals.
The minister explained that these three canals are being developed based on flood patterns observed in the Krishna River over the past century. Additionally, the construction of six reservoirs is underway. These include a 0.4 TMC reservoir at Nirukonda, 0.1 TMC at Krishnayapalem, 0.01 TMC at Sakhamuru, 0.3 TMC at Lam outside the Seed Capital, 0.2 TMC at Peda Parimi, and 0.3 TMC at Vaikuntapuram. The canals and reservoirs are expected to handle substantial rainfall effectively.
If necessary, there are plans to pump excess water into the Krishna River, with lifts to be installed at Undavalli (12,350 cusecs), Buckingham Canal (4,000 cusecs), and Vaikuntapuram (5,650 cusecs). The minister assured that even a severe flood would not pose a problem for Amaravati, and the bund will be redesigned to withstand up to 15 lakh cusecs of water from the Krishna River.
Additionally, the minister reported that IIT Hyderabad and IIT Chennai have confirmed that the Iconic buildings, Secretariat Towers, High Court building, and 3,600 flats for officials are unaffected. Their report recommended continuing construction. Tenders for upcoming works will be invited in the next two months. He also noted that the raft foundation of the iconic buildings is robust. Rain-related delays have hindered jungle clearance in Amaravati, but this will be completed soon.
Minister Narayana announced that Rs 175 crore would be deposited shortly as a one-year lease payment to farmers who provided land for the capital. Farmers who initially withheld their land are now offering it, and the minister will personally visit their homes to accept the documents.
Finally, the minister stated that the deadline for various taxes due to the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation on September 30 will be extended to offer residents more flexibility.