Taps On! Solapur's ₹842-crore Water Project Nears Completion

The ₹842-crore Ujani-Solapur parallel water pipeline project has reached the trial phase following the completion of major infrastructure work. Designed to enhance water delivery efficiency, the project will transport water directly from the Ujani Dam to Solapur via dual parallel pipelines, significantly reducing wastage and improving supply reliability.

Part of the Smart City initiative, Solapur secured central government funding for the project, with additional financial support from the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), the state government, and the Solapur Municipal Corporation, which is contributing 30% of the total cost.

Technical officer Vyankatesh Choube confirmed, “All major infrastructural work is complete. The trial runs are underway and nearing completion. The project will soon be commissioned.” Principal Secretary for Urban Development, Asim Gupta, is expected to visit the site and announce the inauguration date after reviewing the progress.

The pipeline, with a capacity of 170 million litres per day (MLD), will be supported by a 60 MLD water treatment plant. Solapur, a city of 1.2 million people, currently sources water from the Ujani Dam—80 km away—and the Hipparga barrage. Presently, water is released into the Bhima river and then pumped to the city, a process that leads to 30–40% loss due to seepage and irrigation diversion. The new system aims to address this inefficiency and ensure a more sustainable water supply.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.