Ajit Pawar Inaugurates Chikhli Water Project Phase-2: Bhama Askhed to Provide 200 MLD, Aiming to Solve Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Water Woes

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Council was established in 1970, later upgraded to a municipal corporation in 1982. Since then, the city has relied solely on the Pavana dam for water supply. In 2013, the then Congress-led government reserved 268 MLD of water from the Andra and Bhama Askhed dams for the city. However, the reservation was canceled due to non-payment of restoration costs.

In 2017, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Pimpri-Chinchwad, MLA Mahesh Landge initiated efforts to restore the water reservation. With the support of then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the city once again secured water allocation from both dams. The project officially commenced in 2018.

During the first phase, a water treatment plant was constructed at Chikhli to process 100 MLD of water from the Andra dam. This project became operational on May 15, 2023. Water is now being drawn from the Indrayani River at the Nigdi-Talawade intake, treated at the Chikhli plant, and distributed to areas within the Bhosari constituency.

Phase-2 Progress

The second phase of the project involves sourcing 168 MLD of water from the Bhama Askhed dam and transporting it through pipelines from the dam’s jackwell to the Navlakh Umbre pressure tank. From there, the water will be conveyed to the Chikhli treatment plant for processing. This phase of the project began on March 15, 2024, and pipeline installation is nearing completion, with a 1,700 mm diameter rising main from Bhama Askhed to Navlakh Umbre and a 1,400 mm diameter gravity main from Navlakh Umbre to Dehu in the final stages.

Some delays have been caused by land acquisition issues, but the administration is prioritizing their resolution. The land required for laying pipelines in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) Phase-2 area is still pending approval. Once granted, PCMC will commence the pipeline work.

Jackwell Construction at Bhama Askhed

The Maharashtra government has approved a non-irrigation water quota of 168 MLD (60.790 million cubic meters) from the Bhama Askhed dam for Pimpri-Chinchwad. In line with this approval, PCMC has accelerated work on constructing an intake well, pump house, approach bridge, and other necessary facilities near the Bhama Askhed dam, including SCADA systems for water management.

MLA Mahesh Landge’s Statement

“The Andra-Bhama Askhed project is a lifeline for Pimpri-Chinchwad, given the city’s growing population and increasing water demands. The first phase is complete, and the second phase, including the 200 MLD water treatment plant, is well underway. We are confident that this project will be completed by June 2025, resolving water issues in newly included areas and fulfilling our commitment to the people.”