*Naidu hijacking Veligonda credit: TJR Sudhakar Babu*

Tadepalli, Aug 28: YSRCP SC Cell State President and former MLA TJR Sudhakar Babu said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is trying to hijack the credit for the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project by projecting the historic work done under Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as his own. Speaking at the YSRCP Central Office, he said Veligonda was designed to provide irrigation to 4.47 lakh acres and drinking water to 15.25 lakh people across 30 mandals in Prakasam, Nellore and YSR Kadapa districts.
Sudhakar Babu said Chandrababu laid the foundation stone on March 5, 1996, but did practically nothing thereafter till 2004. It was YSR who revived the project under Jalayagnam, introduced the second tunnel, brought the comprehensive DPR, and developed the Nallamala Sagar dams, feeder channel and major project components. Between 2004 and 2014, 20.33 km of tunnelling was completed, 11.58 km in Tunnel-1 and 8.74 km in Tunnel-2.
In contrast, only about 6.6 km was excavated during Chandrababu’s 2014–19 tenure. Under YS Jagan, the remaining tunnel works moved at far greater speed. Tunnel-1 progressed at 4.12 metres per day compared with 2.41 metres under Chandrababu, while Tunnel-2 progressed at about 7.27 metres per day compared with 1.31 metres. Sudhakar Babu said YSR and Jagan together completed over 85% of the project works, and Jagan dedicated the twin tunnels to the nation on March 6, 2024.
He questioned why Chandrababu was preparing to inaugurate again a project already dedicated by YS Jagan. He also demanded immediate payment of Rs. 112 crore compensation to 758 eligible displaced families and challenged Chandrababu to make Veligonda the sole referendum issue in Yerragondapalem, Markapuram, Giddalur, Kanigiri and Darsi.