Recently, linking of which of the following rivers was undertaken?

The correct answer is Godavari and Krishna.

The question asks about a recently undertaken river-linking project in India. To understand why the Godavari–Krishna link is the correct answer, let us walk through the background and the key facts step by step.

Step 1 – Understanding India's National River Linking Project (NRLP)
India has long pursued an ambitious plan called the National River Linking Project (NRLP), managed by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA). The idea is to transfer surplus water from flood-prone rivers to water-deficit regions through a network of canals and reservoirs. The project has two broad components: the Himalayan component and the Peninsular component. The Godavari–Krishna link falls under the Peninsular Rivers Development component.

Step 2 – The Godavari–Krishna Link: What Was Done
The Godavari river, which flows through Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, carries a large volume of water — much of which historically flowed unused into the Bay of Bengal. The Krishna river, on the other hand, is a relatively water-scarce river in the Deccan Plateau region. To address this imbalance, the Polavaram–Vijayawada link canal (also called the Godavari–Krishna diversion) was undertaken. Water is diverted from the Polavaram Project (on the Godavari) through a canal to the Prakasam Barrage (on the Krishna river), effectively linking the two rivers. This project has been operationally implemented in recent years, making it the most prominent and recently executed inter-river link in India.

Step 3 – Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
Let us briefly examine the remaining options to confirm why they do not fit:

• Cauvery and Tungabhadra – While both rivers are in South India, no formal inter-linking project between these two rivers has been recently undertaken as of recent records.
• Mahanadi and Sone – This link is proposed under the Himalayan/Peninsular NRLP component but has not been recently undertaken or implemented.
• Narmada and Tapti – These two rivers flow in close proximity in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, but no active inter-linking project between them has been recently initiated.

Step 4 �� Conclusion
Among all the options, the Godavari and Krishna river-linking project stands out as the one that has been recently and concretely undertaken in India. It is a landmark infrastructure project for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, designed to bring water from the surplus Godavari basin to the deficit Krishna basin, benefiting millions of farmers and helping to meet drinking water and irrigation needs across the region.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Godavari and Krishna.