The Urse bandhara on the Surya River in Palghar district remains incomplete despite repeated extensions to the contractor, delaying a project intended to support drinking water, irrigation and groundwater recharge in the region, according to a report by Loksatta – Palghar published on September 5, 2026.
The Konkan-style check dam is one of five structures approved on the Surya River for water storage and local access. The other four bandharas, at Ghol, Chinchare, Ambivli and Gargav, have reportedly been completed within the scheduled period. Work on the Urse structure, however, has remained stalled, with residents demanding that the existing contractor be removed and the remaining work assigned to another agency.
The five projects were sanctioned within the limits of villages in Dahanu and Palghar talukas. Construction began in January 2021, and the contractors were originally given 36 months to complete the work by January 2024 through the Palghar irrigation department. The Urse project has an approved allocation of Rs 16.64 crore. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has directed that the work be completed by June 30, 2026, but the deadline has also passed without completion, the report said.
Residents have alleged that contractor J.G. Champanerk repeatedly starts work at the beginning of May and stops in June before the monsoon. The seasonal work pattern has contributed to delays, according to the report. The incomplete structure has prompted anger among local residents, who have also called for action against the contractor.
The five-barrage plan was prepared after local opposition to the use of Surya project water for supplying Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayandar. Villagers and the Pani Bachao Sangharsh Samiti had raised concerns that surrounding rural areas faced shortages of drinking water and irrigation resources. The chain of bandharas was proposed as a way to provide local communities with access to stored water alongside the wider regional supply system.
The MMRDA has provided Rs 70.40 crore in financial assistance for the five structures. Together, the bandharas are expected to create a total storage capacity of 2.29 million cubic metres in the Surya riverbed. The stored water is intended to support drinking water needs, agriculture and horticulture along the river. The structures are also expected to provide alternative crossings between villages on either side of the river.
Palghar irrigation department executive engineer Sachin Patil said he would visit the incomplete structure personally to assess the reasons for the delay. He said instructions would be issued to the contractor to complete the work urgently after the monsoon, according to the report. The department’s site inspection and the next implementation decision are expected to determine whether the current contractor continues or the remaining work is reassigned.
