MANIT Team Begins Scientific Revival of Burhanpur’s 400-Year-Old Kundi Bhandara

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A team of experts from the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, along with water management specialists, has launched an initiative to conserve and rejuvenate Burhanpur's historic Kundi Bhandara, also known as Khooni Bhandara.

The 400-year-old underground water management system was built by Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana during the Mughal era to supply drinking water from the Satpura range to Burhanpur and nearby army camps.

At the initiative of the Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums, the technical team, led by Rutuja Chavan, assistant professor in the Civil Engineering Department at MANIT, conducted an extensive site inspection.

The experts assessed the condition of the underground water system, evaluated its water flow mechanism and carried out preliminary studies to identify opportunities for technical restoration, structural improvement and rejuvenation.

Chavan said the assessment marked the first step towards the scientific conservation and revival of Bhandara's underground water structures and interconnected supply network.

Based on the findings, a comprehensive technical survey, formal documentation and a detailed conservation roadmap will be prepared.

She said the initiative aims to scientifically understand the hydraulic mechanism of the Bhandara, preserve its historical authenticity and heritage value, and identify suitable engineering interventions for its sustainable revival.

The project will subsequently move to detailed technical modelling, structural analysis and conservation work.