Delhi may have to wait until around 2034 for additional water from the Lakhwar and Renukaji dam projects, as construction remains at an early stage and both projects have slipped from earlier completion targets, according to a report cited by Navbharat Times.
The Lakhwar dam in Uttarakhand is expected to be completed first. Its civil work is around 14-15% complete, while approximately 13% of the Renukaji dam in Himachal Pradesh has been completed. The two projects are among three dams being looked to for strengthening Delhi’s future water supply.
Delhi Jal Board officials said the Lakhwar dam is being constructed by the Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited on the Yamuna river in Tehri Garhwal. Under the water-sharing arrangement reached through the Upper Yamuna River Board, Delhi is expected to receive 6.08-6.3% of the dam’s water storage capacity. This translates to an estimated 130-135 million gallons per day for the national capital.
The Renukaji dam is being built in Sirmaur district by the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited. It is expected to provide Delhi with the largest water allocation among the three projects, with a share of 47.82%, equivalent to 440 million gallons per day. Haryana is allocated 33.65%, Himachal Pradesh 9.34%, Rajasthan 6.04% and Uttarakhand 3.15%, according to the report.
The delays alter the timeline on which Delhi’s planners had expected these projects to contribute to the city’s water system. The Lakhwar project was earlier expected to be completed in 2031, but its completion is now projected for 2034. The Renukaji project, previously associated with a 2032 completion target, is now expected to be completed by 2033-34.
The status of the projects was included in a report presented during a meeting involving the chief ministers of states connected to the Yamuna, convened in the context of efforts to clean the river, the report said. The figures indicate that the projects remain under construction rather than being close to the stage at which Delhi can begin receiving their allocated water.
For Delhi, the delay means that the planned water contribution from the Upper Yamuna basin will not become available before the revised timelines. The Renukaji project is particularly significant in the reported allocation because its 440 million gallons per day share is substantially higher than the 130-135 million gallons per day expected from Lakhwar.
The immediate official milestones are the continued construction of both dams and progress towards their revised completion periods. The report did not provide a newer completion timeline for the third dam project or a detailed explanation for the delays affecting Lakhwar and Renukaji.
