Pune, 3rd July 2025: The long-pending Khadakwasla to Fursungi underground water canal project has moved a step closer to execution, with the Central Government's Ministry of Environment giving in-principle approval for the required ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC).
The National Water Committee has inspected the site and cleared the project for the next stage. Once the final certificate is received, actual work is expected to begin.
The Water Resources Department has planned a 28-kilometre-long underground canal to carry water from Khadakwasla dam to Fursungi. The project's detailed report had previously received approvals from the Chief Engineer, the State Technical Advisory Committee, and finally, the Maharashtra Government in September.
The initiative is expected to conserve approximately 2.5 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water while making irrigation available to an additional 3,472 hectares of agricultural land.
Following last year’s approvals, the Water Resources Department conducted the tendering process and issued work orders before the model code of conduct for the assembly elections came into effect. However, despite all formalities being completed, the project had not begun due to the lack of an environmental NOC.
Officials from the department confirmed that work could not commence without the environmental clearance. Now that the National Water Committee has inspected the project and the environment ministry has given its in-principle approval, work is expected to start soon after the final certificate is issued.
The underground canal, designed in a ‘D’ shape, will be 7.8 meters wide and 3.9 meters high, with a circular segment height of 1.95 meters. With a capacity of 1,510 cusecs, the entire water flow will be carried by gravity from Khadakwasla to Fursungi. This system is expected to significantly reduce water pollution, leakage, and evaporation, resulting in substantial water savings for the region.