Was majority of Andhra's Polavaram dam constructed under YSRCP rule? Data shows otherwise

What is the claim?

A claim circulating on social media states that most of the work on the Polavaram dam in Andhra Pradesh was completed between 2020 and 2023, during the rule of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), and that no 'significant work,' except for the spillway foundation, took place during the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) administration.

The Polavaram dam, officially known as Indira Sagar Polavaram Dam, is a multi-purpose irrigation and drinking water project on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.

The posts are accompanied by a collage of photos comparing the aerial views of the dam in August 2019 and August 2022. A caption shared with one such post reads: “Polavaram Project Progress! In the previous TDP government, no work was done except for the foundation work of the spillway. After the previous YS Jagan government came to power, the Polavaram project was handed over to Megha Engineering. All the major works in the Polavaram project started in January 2020 and were completed by August 2023 (translated from Telugu).” Archives of such posts can be accessed here and here. 

Screenshot of the social media post. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

The TDP governed the state from 2014 to 2019, followed by the YSR Congress party from 2019 to 2024. The TDP recently won the elections held in April-May 2024.

However, this claim is false. Data reveals that a significant portion of the dam's construction was completed prior to the change in government in 2019.

What did we find?

According to the Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Department, the project comprises an earth dam with a spillway, left-bank and right-bank canals, and a hydroelectric facility. Construction began in 2004. While a dam retains water, a spillway allows excess water to flow over or around the dam when the reservoir is full.

The Polavaram Project Authority, under the Department of Water Resources in the Ministry of Jal Shakti, publishes annual reports on the Polavaram Dam, detailing the project's physical progress each year. These reports have been issued annually since March 2014.

Reports categorize the project into headworks, left-bank canal, and right-bank canal. Headworks encompass earthwork, embankment, and concrete structures, while canals involve earthwork, lining, and associated structures. Construction of the spillway falls under the 'headworks' section of the report. The left-bank canal supplies water via canals to northern coastal Andhra Pradesh, while the right-bank canal serves the southern region.

As of March 2014, government data showed physical progress of the project was as follows:

• Headworks: 1 to 19 percent
• Right-bank canal: 49 to 71 percent
• Left-bank canal: 25 to 79 percent

Progress of the project as of March 2014. (Source: ppa.gov.in/screenshot)

By March 2019, under TDP rule, the progress was as follows:

• Headworks: 68 to 89 percent
• Right-bank canal: 93 to 100 percent
• Left-bank canal: 61 to 93 percent

This contradicts claims that minimal progress was made on the spillway under the TDP. At least 61 percent of the dam's construction was completed by March 2019, before the change in government that May.

Progress of the project as of March 2019 (Source: ppa.gov.in/screenshot)

According to the latest available report, by March 2023 (under YSRCP rule), the progress was as follows:

• Headworks: 86 to 96 percent
• Right-bank canal: 95 to 100 percent
• Left-bank canal: 70 to 95 percent

Progress of the project as of March 2023 (Source: ppa.gov.in/screenshot)

These figures clearly indicate that a substantial portion of the Polavaram dam construction occurred during the TDP's tenure from 2014 to 2019, with incremental progress made from 2019 to 2023 under the YSRCP administration.

The verdict

Claims circulating on social media suggesting that minimal work was done on the Polavaram Dam during the TDP's tenure (2014-2019) and that significant progress only occurred under the YSRCP (2019-2024) are false. The majority of the dam's construction was completed between 2014 and 2019.