Marathwada water grid not sidelined; work to commence soon, says MJP chief

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Amid growing speculation that the Marathwada water grid project had been sidelined, top authorities on Thursday confirmed that work on the multi-crore initiative is set to commence soon.Speaking at the 58th annual convention of the Indian Water Works Association (IWWA), Manisha Palande, chief engineer of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), said, "Marathwada is a water-scarce region. To mitigate this, we have envisioned a grid connecting all 11 major dams in the area. As a representative of the MJP, I can assure you that this project will be launched," she said.First announced nearly a decade ago, the Marathwada water grid was originally intended for completion within four years. However, the project has faced delays and mixed reviews from experts questioning its technical feasibility. Despite the delays, the state's 2025-26 annual budget has allocated a combined ₹33,668 crore for the Godavari river basin recharge and the water grid project. The project's progress has been a point of contention for local advocates. Water rights activist Abhijeet Dhanorkar said the grid's absence from recent election campaigns fuelled rumours that the government had put it on the back burner. "The govt should prioritise river-linking projects first to ensure our dams actually have sufficient water. Once the river-linking is established, the water grid will become much more relevant and effective," Dhanorkar said. In addition to the regional grid, Palande —who was recently named the first woman president of the IWWA — announced that the new water supply project for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is nearing a milestone. She stated that the project will be partially commissioned in the near future, providing much-needed relief to the city. The three-day IWWA convention, held at MIT college, brought together water sector experts, foreign delegates, and stakeholders from across India. The event features largescale exhibition with over 100 companies showcasing innovations in water purification, wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and sanitation technology. The inauguration was attended by several high-ranking officials, including divisional commissioner Jitendra Papalkar, municipal commissioner G. Sreekanth, and senior IWWA office-bearers.