Nashik Begins Rs 1,475 Crore Godavari River Purification With STPs, New Sewer Infra
The Nashik Municipal Corporation has launched a ₹1,475 crore initiative to cleanse the Godavari River by modernising the city’s ageing sewage infrastructure. Under the plan, four new sewage treatment plants (STPs), ten pumping stations, and upgraded drainage networks will ensure untreated waste no longer enters the sacred river.
In a major environmental push, Nashik is set to implement its largest urban river purification project under the Kumbh Mela development scheme. The ₹1,475 crore programme will overhaul the city’s ageing wastewater system to prevent untreated sewage from entering the Godavari River — a lifeline for the region’s ecosystem and economy. The project, awarded to a Nagpur-based private firm through a public-private partnership model, will focus on replacing the existing nine outdated STPs, which currently fail to meet pollution control standards. These older facilities, some operating for over 30 years, report Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) levels above the permissible limits set by environmental authorities.
To meet the city’s current and future treatment demand, four new large-capacity STPs will be built at Tapovan (180 MLD), Agartakli (97 MLD), Chehedi (64 MLD), and Panchak (75 MLD), while the existing Agartakli unit (70 MLD) will be upgraded with modern filtration technologies. These facilities are expected to collectively process the city’s increasing sewage output more efficiently and sustainably. The city also faces the challenge of untreated sewage flowing directly into the Godavari via 21 urban nullahs. To tackle this, the project includes constructing ten sewage pumping stations and laying new pipelines to redirect flow toward treatment plants, curbing direct river contamination.
Funding for the scheme will be supported 70% by the state government, while the rest will be managed by the selected private agency. The financial model ensures that the municipal body pays through an annuity structure covering capital and operational expenses over a set period. According to civic officials, preparatory work such as design approvals is currently underway and actual construction is expected to commence within weeks. If delivered on time, the scheme could significantly reduce pollution levels in the Godavari and reinforce Nashik’s standing as a religious, ecological, and urban hub aligned with zero-carbon development goals.
