Kamal Ghorui
Jaipur: Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma Wednesday said the state govt is moving ahead in “mission mode” to fast-track the long-pending Yamuna water agreement project, calling it a major step towards improving water security and infrastructure development in Rajasthan.Sharma said he held a high-level meeting in New Delhi with Union Jal Shakti minister CR Patil and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to discuss the Yamuna water agreement and several inter-state development issues concerning Rajasthan and Haryana.“We held detailed discussions on finalising timelines and operational guidelines for the Yamuna water pipeline project. Both states agreed to move ahead with greater coordination and cooperation so that the project can be completed at the earliest,” Sharma said after the meeting.Officials informed that a joint detailed project report (DPR) for the Yamuna water pipeline was already prepared and shared with the Haryana govt. The updated DPR will soon be uploaded on the central water commission’s online portal for technical approval, after which ground-level work is expected to begin.The project operationalises provisions of the 1994 Yamuna Water Agreement under which Rajasthan was allocated 10.4% of Yamuna water. Rajasthan’s share includes around 1,917 cusecs of water — equivalent to nearly 577 MCM annually during the July-Oct monsoon period — from the Hathnikund Barrage.Officials said the agreement signed between Rajasthan and Haryana on Feb 17, 2024, resolved a deadlock of nearly three decades. Under the first phase, a nearly 265-km underground pipeline network is proposed to transport surplus monsoon water to Rajasthan’s drought-prone Shekhawati region, including Churu, Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts. The Rajasthan-side infrastructure is estimated to cost around ₹32,000 crore.Sharma also said both states agreed to accelerate the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project connecting Rajasthan to Delhi through Haryana. The proposed Delhi-Alwar corridor is expected to significantly improve connectivity and economic activity in the region.The chief minister added that discussions were also held on resolving the recurring waterlogging problem in Bhiwadi and strengthening inter-state coordination on drainage and urban infrastructure issues.
