Nashik: The proposed Nar-Par-Girna River Linking Project, considered important for strengthening irrigation and water availability in Nashik and Jalgaon districts, has received a major push at the central level. The project aims to divert water from the west-flowing Nar, Par and Auranga river basins towards the Girna basin, thereby providing irrigation benefits to drought-prone areas of Nashik and Jalgaon.
The project has already received administrative approval from the Maharashtra government. According to the state's 2026-27 official financial documents, the estimated cost of the project is around ₹7,465 crore, with irrigation benefits expected to cover approximately 49,516 hectares in Nashik and Jalgaon districts.
10.64 TMC Water To Be Utilised
Under the approved project plan, around 10.64 TMC of water from the Nar-Par-Girna river basin is proposed to be utilised. The plan involves constructing water storage structures and a network of tunnels and conveyance systems to divert water towards the Girna sub-basin.
The project is expected to benefit areas including Surgana, Kalwan, Deola and Malegaon in Nashik district, as well as Bhadgaon, Erandol and Chalisgaon in Jalgaon district.
Nine Dams, Tunnels And Water Conveyance System
The project envisages construction of nine dams, along with water-lifting, conveyance and distribution infrastructure and tunnels. The Maharashtra government had granted administrative approval of approximately ₹7,465 crore for the project.
The first phase has subsequently moved towards implementation, with major works estimated at around ₹4,116 crore being taken forward through the tendering process. This marks a transition from planning and administrative approvals towards execution of the project.
Why Centre's Clearance Is Important
The Nar-Par-Girna project is an inter-basin river-linking project within Maharashtra. The National Water Development Agency had earlier prepared a pre-feasibility report for the project. However, the present proposal is based on a revised project plan prepared and pursued by the Maharashtra government.
The central-level clearances are significant as several statutory permissions are required before full-scale implementation. The project will also have to comply with applicable environmental and forest-related requirements.
Boost To Irrigation In Drought-Prone Areas
The basic objective of the project is to utilise water from the relatively high-rainfall western parts of Nashik and divert it towards areas that frequently face water shortages.
If implemented as planned, the project is expected to improve irrigation availability across nearly 49,516 hectares, strengthening agricultural activity and providing greater water security to farmers in parts of Nashik and Jalgaon.
Major Water Infrastructure Project For North Maharashtra
The Nar-Par-Girna River Linking Project is emerging as one of the major water infrastructure projects for North Maharashtra. With administrative approvals and implementation-related processes moving ahead, expectations have increased among farmers and communities in drought-prone areas of Nashik and Jalgaon.
The project's eventual impact will depend on completion of all statutory clearances, timely execution of the proposed dams, tunnels and water conveyance network, and effective distribution of the diverted water to the intended irrigation areas.
