The Nashik Municipal Corporation has accelerated construction of its Rs 370-crore Mukane Water Treatment Plant ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, with round-the-clock work under way on a storage tank and a 13-km distribution pipeline network intended to strengthen the city’s water supply capacity.
Nashik mayor Himgauri Aher and municipal commissioner Manisha Khatri inspected the project site near Mukane dam during a late-night visit on Tuesday. They reviewed construction progress, the quality of materials and compliance with project timelines, as the civic body increases monitoring of infrastructure being developed before the religious gathering.
A key milestone at the site is the construction of a 90 MLD storage tank. The tank, measuring 60 metres in diameter, is undergoing a continuous 48-hour concreting process that requires uninterrupted work and supervision. Civic officials said the tank is an important component of the broader water supply augmentation plan.
The Mukane plant is being developed on nearly seven acres and will have a treatment capacity of 274 million litres per day. According to Khatri, the facility is among the Nashik civic body’s most important infrastructure projects ahead of the Kumbh and is expected to expand the city’s ability to treat and distribute water as demand rises.
The project also includes a 13-km water distribution pipeline connecting Vilholi on Nashik’s outskirts with Sadhugram at Tapovan and Nilgiri Bagh in Panchavati. These locations are expected to be important parts of the city’s infrastructure arrangements for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, although the civic body’s stated objective extends beyond the event to meeting future demand.
During the inspection, Aher instructed officials to maintain construction quality while ensuring that work progresses within the stipulated timeframe. She said the civic body was monitoring Kumbh-related infrastructure through regular inspections and review meetings.
“While preparing for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, the civic body is also focusing on the city’s future needs. The Mukane WTP project will play a vital role in ensuring long-term water security for Nashik. All works must be completed within the stipulated timeframe and with the highest quality standards,” Aher said.
The project is being funded through green bonds and is described by the municipal corporation as one of its largest recent investments in water infrastructure. Its implementation is taking place alongside upgrades to pumping and distribution systems under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme.
The parallel works are being planned against the city’s projected population growth and water demand up to 2050. The municipal corporation’s immediate focus remains on completing the treatment plant, storage infrastructure and connecting pipeline network while maintaining construction standards and meeting the project schedule.
