Pune: ₹2,000-Crore Khadakwasla–Fursungi Tunnel To Be Completed By March 2029
Pune: ₹2,000-Crore Khadakwasla–Fursungi Tunnel To Be Completed By March 2029
Pune, July 9, 2026: The Maharashtra government has set a target to complete the ambitious ₹2,000-crore Khadakwasla–Fursungi tunnel project by March 2029, a move expected to save 3–4 TMC of water annually and improve water availability for Daund, Indapur, and Baramati.
The announcement was made by Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil while responding to a calling attention motion raised by Daund MLA Rahul Kul in the Maharashtra Legislature regarding pending irrigation and water resource projects in the region.
The minister said the project involves converting the existing Khadakwasla–Fursungi canal passing through Pune city into a closed underground tunnel, reducing water losses due to seepage and evaporation. The saved water will be diverted to benefit irrigation and drinking water needs in the drought-prone regions of Daund, Indapur, and Baramati.
Vikhe Patil also announced that the work order has been issued for the ₹349-crore Janai-Shirsai Closed Pipeline Scheme, marking the beginning of another major irrigation project.
Addressing other issues raised by MLA Rahul Kul, the minister said a pilot project to reclaim saline and infertile land in Daund taluka will begin after the monsoon using government funds.
He further stated that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for converting old Kolhapur-type weirs on the Mula-Mutha and Bhima rivers, as well as barrages in the Ujani backwaters, into automated barrages will be approved on priority to accelerate implementation.
The state government is also considering including the new Bhuleshwar (Kuptewadi) distributary under the Purandar Lift Irrigation Scheme in its second revised administrative approval.
In addition, the minister said a high-level meeting will be held with the Chairman of Tata Power to discuss diverting water from the Mulshi Dam for irrigation in eastern Maharashtra. He added that under the Krishna-Bhima Stabilisation Project, priority will be given to diverting surplus water to the Nira and Ujani dams, extending benefits to Solapur, Dharashiv, and Latur districts.
The government also plans to expedite desilting work at Ujani and five other major dams after the monsoon, while comprehensive dam safety audits of ageing dams will be carried out through central government agencies.
