NMC Revives Kanhan-Kolar Barrage Plan, Eyes Central Funds To Reduce Pench Dependence | Nagpur News

The barrage built on Kanhan river in 1936

Nagpur: Reviving its long-pending proposal to construct a barrage at the confluence of the Kanhan and Kolar rivers, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) seeks to create an independent and sustainable water source for the city while reducing dependence on the Pench reservoir.The civic body is preparing a detailed project report (DPR) and exploring financial assistance under the Centre’s Urban Challenge Scheme. Officials said the proposed funding pattern envisages a 25% contribution from the Centre and the state govt, with NMC raising the remaining 50%. To finance its share, the corporation is examining options such as a public-private partnership (PPP) model and municipal bonds.

The proposal is currently at the planning stage, with officials assessing storage potential, technical feasibility, and updated project costs before seeking approvals. The move comes at a time when Nagpur has recorded unprecedented raw water withdrawals.During the recent summer, NMC drew nearly 775 MLD of raw water from the Pench reservoir and Kanhan river system to meet peak demand — the highest-ever withdrawal for the city. Nagpur currently supplies around 700 MLD of treated water daily, including about 220 MLD from the Kanhan Water Treatment Plant.Officials said the proposed barrage would store surplus monsoon flows and ensure year-round availability of raw water for the 240-MLD Kanhan Water Treatment Plant. It would also reduce the need for water releases from Pench into the Kanhan system during lean periods. Earlier studies suggested the project could nearly double water availability from the Kanhan basin by significantly enhancing storage capacity.The proposal revives a vision linked to Nagpur’s water history. In 1936, NMC built a barrage on the Kanhan near Juni Kamptee under the guidance of legendary engineer Sir M Visvesvaraya. The structure supplied nearly 60MLD of water to Kamptee and Kanhan but fell into disuse after flash floods damaged it in 1980.The idea regained attention in 2018 after TOI highlighted the neglected structure. Then municipal commissioner Ashwin Mudgal inspected the site and proposed restoration through the construction of four cofferdams and repairs to the barrage gates. Parallelly, NMC pursued a larger permanent barrage at the Kanhan-Kolar confluence. Surveys by the Water Resources Department and WAPCOS identified a site downstream of the Kolar confluence, near the existing Kanhan treatment plant, as suitable for a major storage structure.Former Water Works Committee chairman Vijay Zalke said a DPR prepared in 2018 had pegged the project cost at around Rs600 crore. “Considering the escalation in construction costs, the project may now cost nearly Rs1,000 crore,” he said.Another senior official added that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule are backing efforts to develop the barrage, which is seen as crucial for strengthening Nagpur’s long-term water security and reducing recurring summer water stress.