Major break through for Veligonda project, MEIL completes 2nd tunnel excavation

Sakshi Education

The Poola Subbaiah Veligonda irrigation project crossed a significant milestone on Tuesday. Contractors, the Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), completed the excavation works on the 7.5-km-long second tunnel, using advanced tunnel boring machines (TBMs).
The tunnel excavation works for the mega irrigation project started 15 years ago. The project progressed slowly.
A review was done in 2020 when the YSRC government assigned MEIL to undertake the pending works on both tunnels.
MEIL completed the 3.6-km-long first tunnel in 13 months by January 2021. With the breakthrough for the second tunnel now, the project is on the verge of completion.
About
The Veligonda Project is an irrigation project located in Markapur, Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Krishna river water is stored in a reservoir called 'Nallamala Sagar' with 43.5 Tmcft live storage at 244 m msl full reservoir level and 214.3 m msl minimum draw down level.
When completed, the project will provide irrigational facilities to 459,000 acres and drinking water to 1.5 million people in 29 Mandals of fluoride and drought affected areas in Prakasam district, Nellore district and Kadapa district by diverting 43.5 TMC of floodwater from the Krishna River from foreshore of Srisailam Reservoir near Kollamvagu and proposed to store in Nallamalasagar Reservoir.
The water for the project is drawn through two 18.8 km long tunnels across Nallamala hills. The project has been renamed to the "Poola Subbaiah Irrigation Project".