Shekhawati's Yamuna Water Project Pipeline Construction Begins

Yamuna Water Project: The long-awaited project to bring Yamuna water has cleared its initial hurdle. The groundwork for the alignment survey to lay the 300-kilometre pipeline has been completed.

Jaipur: The long-awaited project to bring Yamuna water has cleared its initial hurdles. The groundwork for the alignment survey to lay the 300-kilometre pipeline has been completed. 290 kilometres of this will be in Haryana and 10 kilometres in Rajasthan. A reservoir will be constructed in Hasiawas, Churu, about ten kilometres inside the Haryana border. Water will be supplied here from Haryana's Hathini Kund Barrage (Tajewale Head) through three separate pipelines.

The Rajasthan government has urged the Haryana government to hold a meeting as soon as possible to finalise the alignment. After discussions at the technical level between the two states, the DPR (Detailed Project Report) will be finalised. Once the project commences, its impact will be visible on the ground within the next 3-4 years.

Network to be Prepared

A main distribution network will be developed from the reservoir for the districts of Churu, Sikar, and Jhunjhunu. This project will provide millions of people with sufficient water for drinking as well as irrigation. In these districts, the groundwater level is continuously declining, and the problem of saline water is increasing. Besides Churu, discussions are underway to build an additional reservoir in the Buhana tehsil of Jhunjhunu district.

Importance of the Project

- Rajasthan's share of water will be taken from the Yamuna river basin in Haryana.
- This scheme can prove to be a game-changer in tackling the drinking water crisis and drought in the rural areas of Churu, Sikar, and Jhunjhunu.
- State-of-the-art pumping stations and a digital monitoring system will be installed in the pipeline network to minimise water loss.
- After the DPR is finalised, there is also the possibility of obtaining financial assistance from the Centre.