Chandrababu Naidu pushes Godavari-Cauvery interlinking as national project
Synopsis
At the inauguration of 33 restored crest gates at the Tungabhadra Dam, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu called on the Centre to treat the Godavari-Cauvery interlinking as a national project — a proposal that, if pursued, would reshape water politics across four southern states and test the limits of federal water governance.
Key Takeaways
Andhra Pradesh CM N.
Chandrababu Naidu on 25 June called for interlinking the Godavari and Cauvery rivers as a Centre-led national project.
The appeal was made at Hospete, Karnataka , at the inauguration of 33 new crest gates at the Tungabhadra Dam .
Shivakumar and Telangana CM A.
Revanth Reddy were present; the meeting was convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R.
El Niño -driven low inflows into Tungabhadra and Almatti reservoirs have heightened water scarcity concerns this season.
Naidu cited the Ken-Betwa project as a precedent and noted a 1983 agreement to release 5 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu .
The Tungabhadra Dam crest gate replacement was a joint effort by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka after gate 19 was washed away in 2024 .
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday, 25 June called for the interlinking of the Godavari and Cauvery rivers, urging the Centre to designate it a national project that would benefit Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. Naidu made the appeal while addressing a public meeting at Hospete, Karnataka, following the inauguration of 33 new crest gates at the Tungabhadra Dam.
The Call for River Interlinking
Speaking alongside Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Naidu argued that river interlinking is essential to secure water supply for farmers and communities across southern states. He cited the Ken-Betwa project in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh as a working model for inter-state river linkage that the South could emulate.
Naidu said, 'If the Ganga and Cauvery rivers are interlinked, India will become unstoppable,' drawing a broader vision of national water security anchored in connectivity. He suggested that intra-state river linkages be pursued first, with inter-state interlinking to follow.
Tungabhadra Dam Restoration
The occasion was the inauguration of all 33 crest gates at the Tungabhadra Dam in Hospete — a project completed jointly by the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The dam is critical infrastructure, supplying irrigation water to farmers across three states and drinking water to local populations.
Naidu recalled that gate number 19 was washed away in 2024, necessitating a stop-log gate as a temporary fix. The replacement of all 33 crest gates marks the full restoration of the dam's operational capacity. He described the collaborative effort between the two state governments as a model for inter-state cooperation.
El Niño and Water Scarcity Concerns
Naidu flagged the El Niño phenomenon as a pressing concern, noting that reduced inflows from upstream areas have affected both the Tungabhadra and Almatti reservoirs this season. He stressed that water must be used 'very judiciously this year' and argued that this scarcity underscores the urgency of structural solutions such as river interlinking.
He also referenced a 1983 agreement in which the Prime Minister and four Chief Ministers jointly decided to release 5 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu, framing the current multi-state cooperation as part of a longer tradition of shared water governance in the South.
Historic Multi-State Meeting
Naidu praised Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil for convening the meeting of chief ministers from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, calling it a 'historic event' for southern states. He said the gathering demonstrated that political boundaries need not obstruct cooperative water management.
'While we may be separate states, we are united as one nation,' Naidu said, adding that the meeting would be remembered for prioritising farmers' interests across the region. With El Niño pressures persisting and the Godavari-Cauvery interlinking proposal now formally on the table, the Centre's response to Naidu's appeal will be closely watched.
Point of View
But the optics of three southern chief ministers standing together at Hospete give it fresh political weight. The real question is whether the Centre — which has moved slowly on the Ken-Betwa precedent itself — has the appetite to open another multi-state water negotiation. River interlinking in India has a long history of stalling on state-level objections over sharing ratios; Tamil Nadu's position, notably absent from Thursday's platform, will be the first test of whether this proposal moves beyond a speech. El Niño provides the urgency, but political will across five governments will determine whether it becomes policy.
NationPress
25 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Godavari-Cauvery river interlinking proposal?
It is a proposal by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for the Centre to interlink the Godavari and Cauvery rivers as a national project, aimed at improving water availability for farmers and communities across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
Why did Chandrababu Naidu raise this demand now?
Naidu cited the El Niño phenomenon, which has reduced inflows into the Tungabhadra and Almatti reservoirs this season, creating acute water scarcity. He argued that river interlinking is a structural solution to recurring water stress in southern states.
What happened at the Tungabhadra Dam inauguration?
All 33 crest gates at the Tungabhadra Dam in Hospete, Karnataka were inaugurated on 25 June, completing a restoration project jointly executed by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Gate number 19 had been washed away in 2024 and was temporarily replaced with a stop-log gate.
Which states would benefit from the Godavari-Cauvery interlinking?
According to Naidu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana would all benefit from the proposed interlinking of the two rivers.
What precedent did Naidu cite for inter-state river interlinking?
Naidu pointed to the Ken-Betwa project, which interlinks rivers in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, as a working model that southern states could follow for the Godavari-Cauvery proposal.
