CM Devendra Fadnavis Announces Acceleration of Marathwada Water Grid Project to Make Marathwada Drought-Free

Xtreme News India   06-11-2026 22:03:21   573829180

Marathwada Water Grid Project

CM Devendra Fadnavis Announces Acceleration of Marathwada Water Grid Project to Make Marathwada Drought-Free

Ramchandra Pilde Calls for Strict, Transparent and Technically Sound Implementation; Demands Formation of an Independent High-Level Committee

Mumbai (Special Correspondent) - Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the Marathwada Water Grid Project, a crucial initiative aimed at permanently resolving the region's chronic water scarcity and making Marathwada drought-free, will be expedited.

The appointment of a Project Management Consultant and the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Marathwada Water Grid Project will be completed on an urgent basis with the assistance of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Planning has been undertaken to complete the actual execution of the project by 2029.

However, Ramchandra Pilde, Water Conservation Expert and Member of the River Linking Project, Maharashtra, has strongly emphasised that the project must be implemented in an extremely meticulous, transparent and technically competent manner.

A high-level meeting was held at the Chief Minister's official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with a senior delegation from JICA. The meeting reviewed the proposed framework of the Marathwada Water Grid Project, along with various infrastructure projects being undertaken through cooperation between Maharashtra and Japan.

The ambitious project is expected to receive financial assistance of approximately Rs. 20,000 crore from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Considering the unequal distribution of water resources in Marathwada, the primary objective of the Water Grid Project is to transport water through a closed pipeline network from dams with surplus water to dams located in drought-prone areas. A two-way water-flow system will also be developed as part of the project.

The first phase of the project will cover four districts — Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Beed, Latur and Dharashiv. The Jayakwadi, Majalgaon, Manjara, Ujani, Lower Terna and Lower Manar dams will be interconnected.

The project will involve the construction of approximately 3,095 kilometres of main and secondary pipelines, along with 15 water treatment plants. Nearly one crore citizens are expected to benefit directly from the project.

The estimated cost of implementing the Water Grid Project across all eight districts of Marathwada is approximately Rs. 25,056 crore. JICA has responded positively to the proposal for providing loan assistance of around Rs. 20,000 crore for the first phase.

Since Latur and Dharashiv fall within earthquake-prone zones, advanced Japanese earthquake-resistant technology will be used in the construction of the project. This will include ductile iron pipes, modern pumping systems and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

The project will also help ensure a sustainable water supply to industries located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, including those in AURIC City, Shendra-Bidkin and the Waluj industrial area.

Meanwhile, initiatives are being undertaken in collaboration with Japanese companies and the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) to establish Maharashtra as a global leader in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector.

As part of this initiative, a 'Manga Caravan' will be organised in Mumbai in February. Chief Minister Fadnavis welcomed the initiative.

The appointment of a Project Management Consultant and preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Marathwada Water Grid Project will be expedited with JICA's cooperation. The government has planned to complete the actual implementation of the project by 2029.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured that the state government would further strengthen its cooperation with Japan for Maharashtra's infrastructure development, particularly in the fields of water resources, transportation, environment and modern technology. He also assured all necessary support from the government for the successful implementation of these projects.

The meeting was attended by Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil, Minister of State Meghna Sakore-Bordikar, Chief Minister's Chief Economic Adviser Pravin Singh Pardeshi, Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department Parag Jain Nainutia, Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department Vikas Chandra Rastogi, Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran Member Secretary Amgothu Naik, MITRA Department Head Dr. Sanjay Belsare, Japan's Consul General in India Hitomi Sato, Japanese Consul at the Indian office Kenji Takagi, and JICA India Office Chief Representative Takuro Takeuchi, along with other senior officials.

Independent High-Level Committee Essential for Transparent and Effective Implementation of Marathwada Water Grid Project: Ramchandra Pilde

Subject: Formation of an Independent High-Level Committee for Effective, Transparent and Time-Bound Implementation of the Marathwada Water Grid Project

The proposed Marathwada Water Grid Project is an extremely important and far-reaching initiative aimed at permanently resolving the chronic water scarcity in the Marathwada region.

Considering the possibility of financial assistance amounting to approximately Rs. 20,000 crore from JICA for this project, it is essential that its implementation be carried out in a highly meticulous, transparent and technically competent manner.

My Key Views and Recommendations:

1. Formation of an Independent High-Level Committee

Before commencing the implementation of the project, the government should constitute an independent high-level committee comprising experienced experts from the fields of water resources, water supply, finance, engineering, technology and water management.

2. Adoption of Advanced Israeli Water Management Technology

Modern water management technologies developed in Israel should be studied and incorporated into the project. These should include water recycling and reuse, leakage control, digital monitoring, water metering and energy efficiency.

3. Independent Financial Audit and Transparency

Independent auditing and public transparency must be ensured regarding JICA's financial assistance, the state government's contribution, tendering procedures, actual expenditure, quality of work and project progress.

4. Independent Technical Inspection and Field Verification

Adequate safeguards must be established to prevent private agencies and contractors from resorting to paperwork-based completion claims, inflated bills or substandard construction work.

An independent technical inspection mechanism and physical verification at project sites should be made mandatory.

5. Public Disclosure of Project Progress

Information regarding the work undertaken at every stage, expenditure incurred, water availability and actual benefits to the public should be made available online.

Responsibility for the quality of work must be clearly fixed, and provisions for strict action against those found guilty of irregularities or negligence should be incorporated.

My Experience in Pursuing the Issue:

Since 2018, I have consistently demanded that the Maharashtra Government take concrete steps to implement the river-linking project to divert water from west-flowing rivers towards Marathwada.

At that time, I had also urged the government to establish an independent and transparent committee to oversee every stage of the project, from planning to implementation.

However, the need for such an independent monitoring mechanism remains as important as ever.

The Marathwada Water Grid should not remain merely a project involving huge financial investments and the construction of an extensive pipeline network. Instead, it must become a reliable and sustainable initiative capable of resolving the water-related problems of Marathwada for generations to come.

Therefore, alongside financial approvals and tendering procedures, the state government must accord the highest priority to independent and transparent monitoring, technical supervision and public accountability.

Only through such a comprehensive mechanism can the project be implemented effectively and achieve its intended objectives.

Ramchandra Pilde

Water Conservation Expert

Member, River Linking Project, Maharashtra State

Mobile: 8783988119