Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma held a high-level meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to discuss several crucial issues concerning Rajasthan and Haryana, including the Yamuna Water Agreement and regional connectivity projects.
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on expediting the implementation of the Yamuna Water Agreement, particularly regarding timelines and guidelines for the proposed underground pipeline project. Chief Minister Sharma said efforts are being made to ensure the project moves forward in a time-bound manner.
He also stated that extensive deliberations were held to build consensus among the concerned states for the Kishau Project. Expressing gratitude to the Union Jal Shakti Minister and the Haryana Chief Minister, Sharma said that mutual cooperation and coordination between the states would provide fresh momentum to several development initiatives.
The Chief Minister said the meeting also resulted in a consensus to accelerate the Regional Rapid Transit System project, aimed at connecting Rajasthan to Delhi via Haryana. According to Sharma, the project will significantly benefit Rajasthan by improving regional connectivity and transportation infrastructure.
The issue of waterlogging in Bhiwadi was also discussed during the meeting. Officials informed that a Joint Detailed Project Report for laying the pipeline under the Yamuna Water Agreement has already been prepared and shared with the Haryana government.
Haryana has provided details on most of the tapping points required to supply drinking water to designated regions. The Detailed Project Report, incorporating these details, will soon be uploaded to the Central Water Commission’s online portal for scrutiny and approval.
Officials said that any additional tapping points suggested by Haryana during the review process will also be incorporated. Ground-level work on the project is expected to commence immediately after the Detailed Project Report receives approval from the Central Water Commission.
A memorandum of understanding regarding the project was signed between Rajasthan and Haryana on February 17, 2024. Under the agreement, Yamuna water allocated from the Hathnikund Barrage during the months of July to October will be transported through an underground pipeline to districts including Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, and other areas of Rajasthan.
The project is expected to make 577 million cubic metres of water available for drinking water supply and other needs. Additionally, after the completion of the Renukaji, Lakhwar, and Kishau storage projects in the Upper Yamuna Basin, Rajasthan is expected to receive water from Hathnikund throughout the year via the same pipeline network.
The Kishau Project, proposed on the Tons River, will be jointly developed by Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and is expected to have a storage capacity of 1,324 million cubic metres. The Lakhwar Dam project, currently under construction in Uttarakhand, will have a storage capacity of 331 million cubic metres, while the Renuka Project on the Giri River in Himachal Pradesh is expected to have a storage capacity of 498 million cubic metres. Upon completion of these projects, Rajasthan is projected to receive an additional 201 million cubic metres of water.