Nashik: Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil Assures River-Linking To Be Completed On Time

The work on various river-linking projects aimed at making Maharashtra drought-free will be completed on time, assured State Water Resources Minister (Godavari and Krishna Basin Development Corporation) Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Monday.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the Ulhas-Vaitarna-Konkan-Godavari River Linking Project Office at the Irrigation Bhavan in Nashik. Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Chhagan Bhujbal, Minister for Food and Drug Administration Narhari Zirwal, Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Manikrao Kokate, and several legislators and officials were also present.

Vikhe Patil said the projects are being implemented in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to make the state drought-resilient. A fund of Rs 61 crore has been sanctioned to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) for the Ulhas-Vaitarna interconnection scheme, which is expected to be ready by January 2026.

He added that projects including Damanganga-Ekardare, Damanganga-Vaitarna-Devnadi-Godavari Link, Ulhas-Vaitarna-Godavari, and Par-Godavari will benefit regions such as Nashik, Sambhajinagar and Marathwada by providing raw water. A request has also been made to the Centre for 90% funding support.

Bhujbal seeks early completion of Kikvi dam

Bhujbal, in his address, stressed the need to complete the Kikvi dam project at the earliest, especially ahead of the upcoming Kumbh Mela in Nashik. He also demanded that the 115 TMC of water expected from the river-linking initiatives be fully diverted to the Godavari basin for state-wide benefit.

Farmers to benefit, say ministers

Kokate noted that the project would bring relief to farmers by addressing both drinking water and irrigation needs. He urged officials to obtain all necessary permissions promptly and expedite the DPR process.

Zirwal, meanwhile, said the opening of the project office in Nashik would help accelerate ongoing work and facilitate regular follow-ups. He also instructed irrigation officials to remove silt from local dams to improve water retention capacity.

Earlier in the day, the dignitaries inaugurated the project office and reviewed its facilities.