Vijayawada, Mar 31 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday laid the foundation stone to construct a retaining wall on the left bank of Krishna river to protect thousands of houses from flooding during the monsoon season.

Costing Rs 123 crore, the 1.5 km retaining wall will stretch from the Kanakadurgamma bridge to Kotinagar.

The wall will bring the much needed relief from floods to about 31,000 people living in Ranigarithota, Tarakaramanagar and Bhupesh Gupta Nagar.

"More than 3,000 families and thousands more will not have any problem even when there are floods," said Krishna district collector Imitiaz.

Earlier, Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas criticized former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu for not solving this problem being faced by these people for several years.

"During the first floods soon after becoming the CM, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to build a retaining wall here," said Srinivas.

The foundation stone laying ceremony was attended by Vijayawada Mayor Rayana Baghyalakshmi, Ministers Kodali Sri Venkateshwara Rao, Perni Venkatramaiah, other ministers and several officials.