Sambhajinagar to Make 980 Villages Tanker-Free

19 May 2025 CW Team

The district administration of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has unveiled a major initiative to make 968 villages and 12 wadis entirely tanker-free under the Jal Samruddha Gaon Abhiyan.

The campaign seeks to establish long-term, sustainable solutions to the district’s worsening water crisis, currently being managed through 263 water tankers. The scarcity has been caused by poor monsoon rainfall and declining groundwater levels across the region.

As part of the first phase, officials will conduct a detailed survey of the affected villages and examine over 191 wells to assess the potential for refilling them via rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. The initiative places strong emphasis on rooftop water harvesting across government, semi-government, and private buildings to boost water percolation and restore groundwater tables.

District authorities have confirmed that technical teams will receive training from 19 May to 24 June to implement these strategies. The sessions will focus on well and borewell recharge techniques, rooftop harvesting systems, and community engagement.

To ensure smooth execution, taluka-level committees will be formed under the leadership of block development officers, with representation from tehsildars, agriculture officers, deputy and junior engineers, and officials from the water supply department.

This mission forms part of the government’s wider strategy to reduce rural reliance on tanker supply and promote community-based water security solutions. District officials have expressed optimism, stating that the Jal Samruddha Gaon Abhiyan could serve as a model for other drought-prone regions across Maharashtra and beyond.

If successfully implemented, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar may soon be recognised as a pioneer in rural water management, transforming its tanker-dependent villages into self-reliant, water-secure communities.

Infrastructure Transport

15 Sep 2025

Cabinet Approves Key Highway and Rail Projects in Bihar Region

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the four-laning of the 84.2-km Mokama-Munger section of the Buxar-Bhagalpur high-speed corridor, a key industrial region in poll-bound Bihar. The Cabinet also sanctioned the doubling of the 177-km Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat railway line, which passes through Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, at a cost of Rs 31.7 billion.The Rs 44.5 billion highway project will be constructed under the hybrid annuity model, a variant of public-private partnership. The Mokama-Munger stretch was the only remaining two-lane section of the 363-km Buxar-Bhagalpur corridor. Fou..

NGT Issues Notice on Bengaluru Twin Tunnel Project

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday issued notices in response to a petition filed by Bengaluru Praja Vedike and others, challenging the Bengaluru twin tunnel road project. Petitioners claim the project was “hastily announced” and bypassed mandatory environmental impact assessment procedures.Notices have been served to the Karnataka Government, Greater Bengaluru Authority, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE), the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and project consultants.The 16.74-km twin-tube..

India’s Residential Sales to Dip Slightly in FY26

Residential sales in India’s seven major cities are projected to decline by up to 3 per cent year-on-year in FY26 to 620–640 million square feet (msf), amid a moderation in sales velocity, according to ratings agency Icra.In FY25, sales stood at 643 msf, down 8 per cent YoY, following a sharp contraction in new launches and moderated demand in the affordable and mid-income segments. This slowdown came after the sector posted a robust compound annual growth rate of 26 per cent in area sales between FY22 and FY24.Icra noted: “Having seen a strong upcycle, the sector entered an equilibrium ..