Pune, 10 July 2025: While the construction of sewage treatment plants (STPs) under the ambitious JICA-backed Mula-Mutha River Rejuvenation Project is progressing swiftly with around 85% of the work completed, another crucial component of the project remains far behind. Out of the 49 kilometers of required sewage trunk pipelines, only 9 kilometers have been laid so far, raising concerns over the project's timely completion.
The project, with a total outlay of ₹1,471 crore, involves setting up 11 sewage treatment plants with a combined capacity of 316 MLD (Million Liters per Day). Significant progress has been reported at ten of these plants located at Vadgaon, Warje, Kharadi, Hadapsar, and Mundhwa, where over 80-85% of the construction is already complete.
The administration plans to commission these plants by December 2025, with the remaining work expected to conclude by March 2026.
However, laying the supporting sewage trunk lines, which are essential to carry untreated sewage from various parts of the city directly to these treatment plants, has seen little momentum. Contractors prioritized the construction of the treatment plants, resulting in the pipeline work being sidelined. This delay has drawn sharp criticism from both the central government and JICA officials during a recent review meeting with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
In response, the PMC has now taken a strict stance, instructing the contractors to complete at least 20 kilometers of the pending pipeline work within the next month. Officials have warned that further delays could lead to non-clearance of contractor bills and stricter enforcement action.
Despite having a dedicated project unit in place and appointing individual engineers for all 19 work sites, the sluggish pace continues. The contractors have also deployed their own engineers and are mandated to submit detailed daily progress reports.
With close monitoring from both the PMC and the central government, the hope is that this critical infrastructure component will gain momentum soon, ensuring the overall river rejuvenation timeline stays on track.