Maharashtra's Mega Rs 87,000 Crore Project Gains Momentum: Tenders To Be Floated Soon For Wainganga-Nalganga River Linking Initiative

The Maharashtra government is reportedly set to float tenders for a major river linking project in the state.

During a review meeting on Thursday (9 January), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis instructed officials that the work orders should be given on Monday for the survey of the Wainganga-Nalganga river linking project.

The Wainganga-Nalganga river linking project is an ambitious initiative to connect the two rivers in the Vidarbha region of the state.

Wainganga river is a tributary of Godavari river, and Nalganga river is a tributary of Purna river which in turn is a tributary of Tapi river.

The Wainganga-Nalganga project, dubbed among the largest initiatives of its kind in India, was approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet last year.

The project entails lifting water from the Gosikhurd dam on Wainganga river in Bhandara and channelling it into the Nalganga river in Buldhana through a 427-kilometre-long network of canals, pipelines, and lift irrigation.

Upon completion, the Nalganga-Wainganga river linking project is expected to resolve the persistent water scarcity issues in Vidarbha, especially in the region's western districts.

The Water Resources Department will now float tenders to conduct a comprehensive survey. This survey is expected to take at least one year to complete.

The construction phase will commence only after the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) based on the survey and its subsequent approval by both state and central authorities

Estimated at a cost of Rs 87,000 crore, the ambitious project is designed to provide irrigation to more than 3.75 lakh hectares of agricultural land.

The cost exceeds the combined value of all the projects undertaken by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC).

The state government is expecting financial assistance from the central government for the project.

The project was conceived in 2017-18 during the BJP-Shiv Sena administration led by then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The project was brought back into focus when the BJP regained power through an alliance with the Sena’s Shinde faction, with Fadnavis assuming the role of Deputy Chief Minister.

The project is slated for completion within a span of 10 years.

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