The Supreme Court will hear Telangana’s petition on January 5 against Andhra Pradesh’s proposed Polavaram–Banakacharla link project. Telangana claims the plan would divert 200 tmc of Godavari water to the Krishna basin, a move it strongly opposes.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition from the Telangana government on January 5, challenging the Andhra Pradesh government’s proposed Polavaram-Banakacharla link project.
This project aims to divert 200 tmc (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the Godavari River to the Krishna River basin, as stated by Telangana’s irrigation minister, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Reddy informed reporters that the Telangana government has taken strong action against what it sees as illegal diversions of Godavari water to the Krishna basin.
Reddy said,
“The Telangana government filed a writ petition against the proposal in the Supreme Court and it has been listed for hearing before the bench of Chief Justice of India on January 5,”
The minister emphasized that this action reflects the state government’s proactive stance against the project.
He dismissed allegations from Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and former minister T. Harish Rao, who accused the Congress government of neglecting Telangana’s interests amid the neighboring state’s plans for the Polavaram-Banakacharla link project.
Reddy also rebutted Harish Rao’s assertion that the Central Water Commission (CWC) had approved the water diversion, which he claims jeopardizes Telangana’s interests.
He clarified that the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has not only withheld permission for the Polavaram-Banakacharala link project but has also barred the Andhra Pradesh government from drafting a Detailed Project Report (DPR).
He mentioned,
“The Union ministry explicitly communicated to the Andhra Pradesh government that preparation of the DPR cannot proceed without in-principle approval from the Central Water Commission (CWC). As of December 4, 2025, no such in-principle consent was granted for the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) of the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project,”
Earlier, Harish Rao urged the assembly to pass a resolution opposing approvals for the Polavaram-Banakacharla project and proposed organizing a protest in Delhi to call for the revocation of the permissions granted by the CWC.
He highlighted legal provisions, pointing out that if Godavari water is diverted to the Krishna basin, according to the Bachawat award, Telangana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra should receive water in a 45:21:14 ratio.
He said,
“These rules apply to both the Polavaram and Banakacharla projects,”
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The Polavaram–Banakacharla Link Project is a major plan to move water from one region of Andhra Pradesh to another. It aims to connect the Polavaram Project with the Banakacharla reservoir in Rayalaseema, which often faces drought.
The proposal focuses on taking excess Godavari river water available at Polavaram and transferring it to reservoirs in the Krishna basin, including Banakacharla. This water is meant to support irrigation, drinking water needs, and the recharging of groundwater in the dry areas of the state.
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