The Veligonda Project is a decades-old dream of the people of Prakasam district. Completing the project is crucial for providing irrigation and drinking water to drought-prone areas of the region. But a key question remains: Who actually moved the project forward? Under whose tenure did the tunnel works gain momentum, and under whose tenure did progress remain slow?
The figures relating to the construction of Veligonda’s two major tunnels provide a basis for comparison.
According to the available figures, around 30.901 km of tunnel work was completed during the combined tenures of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. In contrast, only 6.686 km was completed during Chandrababu Naidu’s 2014–19 tenure.
The numbers therefore provide a clear picture of the pace of work during the respective periods.
Veligonda Tunnels: The Numbers Behind the Progress
The Veligonda Project has two critical tunnels:
- Tunnel-1: 18.800 km
- Tunnel-2: 18.787 km
- Total length of both tunnels: 37.587 km
According to the figures available in the clipping, the combined work completed during the YSR and Jagan governments stood at 30.901 km, or nearly 31 km.
This accounts for a substantial portion of the total tunnel length.
20.333 Km Completed During YSR’s Tenure
The figures indicate that significant progress was made on the Veligonda tunnels during the tenure of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
During his tenure, a combined 20.333 km of work was completed across the two tunnels.
Tunnel-1 accounted for 11.586 km, while Tunnel-2 recorded 8.747 km of completed work.
These figures indicate that the project received considerable attention during the YSR government and that the tunnel construction moved forward substantially during this period.
Only 6.686 Km During Chandrababu’s 2014–19 Tenure
The figures for the 2014–19 Chandrababu Naidu government show a considerably lower pace of tunnel construction.
During this period:
- Tunnel-1: 4.331 km
- Tunnel-2: 2.355 km
- Total: 6.686 km
In comparison, the YSR government completed 20.333 km across the two tunnels.
The difference in the recorded progress has consequently become a major point of political debate over the implementation of the Veligonda Project.
10.568 Km Completed During Jagan’s Tenure
The figures also show that work continued on the two tunnels during the tenure of former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Between 2019 and 2024, a combined 10.568 km of tunnel work was completed.
Tunnel-1 recorded 7.883 km, while Tunnel-2 recorded 7.685 km, according to the figures provided.
The period also included the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite those challenges, the figures indicate that construction continued and substantial tunnel work was completed during the five-year period.
What Does the Data Show?
The available figures can be summarised as follows:
| Work Details | YSR Government | Chandrababu Government 2014–19 | Jagan Government 2019–24 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tunnel-1 | 11.586 km | 4.331 km | 7.883 km | 18.800 km |
| Tunnel-2 | 8.747 km | 2.355 km | 7.685 km | 18.787 km |
| Total | 20.333 km | 6.686 km | 10.568 km | 37.587 km |
Based on these figures, the combined work completed during the YSR and Jagan governments comes to 30.901 km, while the work recorded during the 2014–19 Chandrababu government comes to 6.686 km.
Nearly 31 Km in the YSR–Jagan Period vs 6.68 Km in 2014–19
The comparison becomes more significant when the figures are viewed together.
During the YSR and Jagan periods, the two governments together accounted for 30.901 km of tunnel work.
During the 2014–19 Chandrababu period, the recorded progress was 6.686 km.
This comparison has become central to the political argument over which government gave greater priority to the Veligonda tunnel works.
However, tunnel construction progress can also be influenced by several factors, including funding, clearances, contracts, geological conditions, contractor performance and changes in project design. Therefore, the kilometre figures provide a measure of recorded physical progress, but do not by themselves explain every reason for differences in pace.
A Decades-Old Dream and a Political Debate
For the people of Prakasam district, Veligonda is more than just an infrastructure project. It represents the long-standing expectation of reliable irrigation and drinking water in drought-prone areas.
The available tunnel-progress figures have now become part of the political debate surrounding the project.
The figures show:
- YSR government: 20.333 km
- Jagan government: 10.568 km
- YSR + Jagan: 30.901 km
- Chandrababu government, 2014–19: 6.686 km
These numbers form the basis of the argument that the tunnel works progressed substantially during the YSR and Jagan governments.
The Numbers Behind the Veligonda Story
Political claims can differ depending on how projects are assessed. But physical progress figures provide one measurable way of comparing different periods.
According to the figures provided, 30.901 km of the 37.587-km combined tunnel length was completed during the YSR and Jagan periods, while 6.686 km was completed during the 2014–19 Chandrababu period.
For the people who have waited for the Veligonda Project for decades, the larger question remains when the entire project will be completed and its intended benefits of irrigation and drinking water will reach the drought-prone areas of Prakasam district.
Ultimately, the tunnel-progress figures provide one important part of that story: 20.333 km during YSR’s tenure, 10.568 km during Jagan’s tenure, and 6.686 km during the 2014–19 Chandrababu period.
