Union Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, has announced that the Pune River rejuvenation project will be completed by the end of March 2025. Shekhawat was in Pune to inaugurate ‘DHARA (Driving Holistic Action for Urban Rivers) 2023’, a two-day international event on strategies for managing urban rivers.
During his speech, Shekhawat mentioned that restoring rivers is a significant area of work in Maharashtra. He added that land acquisition issues for 11 sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Pune had been resolved, and the river rejuvenation project will clean the Mula and Mutha rivers. The project will cover 55 km of trunk lines and 11 STPs. “The Pune Municipal Corporation aims to ensure the treatment plants meet the Central Pollution Control Board norms. The project is funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),” he said.
Twelve Indian cities have been shortlisted as part of the River Cities Alliance (RCA) program, and a total of 107 cities are part of this alliance. The RCA aims to provide commissioners and executive officers with a platform to discuss and co-learn good practices for managing urban rivers. The Pune River rejuvenation project is part of the Indian government’s National River Conservation Plan, which aims to clean and conserve the country’s rivers. The project is expected to improve the water quality of the Mula and Mutha rivers and benefit the local population.
