Introduction
In order to meet the drinking water needs of about 60 lakh (6 million) people and to stop parts of the water that currently flow across the border into neighbouring Pakistan, the state government of Rajasthan has started an ambitious plan to build four large reservoirs along the Indira Gandhi Canal (IGC) in the desert northwest of the state. The project has significant strategic and functional ramifications and is expected to cost ₹1,200 crore.
Why it is important
Through the reservoirs, some 100,000 cusec-days of water per year that currently flow into Pakistan from the Harike barrage would be redirected for Rajasthan’s supply, increasing water security in an area that has historically been parched.
In addition to meeting domestic demands, the extra storage will improve canal flow regulation, lower the risk of desertification, boost local agriculture’s resilience, and replenish groundwater, according to state planning.
From a geopolitical perspective, the action represents a change in India’s upstream water-management stance in the western river basins: the project reflects the use of water as a strategic resource by decreasing outflows and enhancing control over interstate and cross-border transfers.
Essential Elements & Performance
By next year, it is anticipated that the four reservoirs, which will be built on natural depressions along the IGC path, will be operational. There are plans to build a fifth, larger reservoir in Bikaner, close to the Ghaggar waterway, which might contribute an additional 50,000 cusec-days of storage.
In order to reduce conveyance losses and prevent unforeseen cross-border flows, the project entails improving canal infrastructure, potentially switching from open canals to pipeline systems in some areas.
Although the reservoirs are a significant step, engineers point out that more infrastructure—such as pipelines, water-diversion links, and extra storage—will still be required to completely stop water outflow to Pakistan and maximise domestic supply.
The Way Ahead
- In addition to completing infrastructure, Rajasthan should develop an open water allocation plan that gives drinking water, rural supplies, and ecosystem needs top priority.
- Use cutting-edge technologies, such as pipeline-led conveyance, SCADA systems, and remote sensing, to minimise losses and maximise storage usage.
- Connect this storage project to more extensive water-governance reforms, such as enhancing community involvement, local water-user groups, and joint surface and groundwater use.
- In order to prevent escalation and fortify basin-cooperation frameworks, India should effectively interact with its downstream neighbours while safeguarding its water interests on the interstate and international level.
- To keep the initiative accountable to the public and strategic objectives, track results using open dashboards that display reservoir storage, distribution measures, and outflow reductions.
A prime example of India’s changing water-governance paradigm, where development, resource security, and geopolitics converge, is Rajasthan’s reservoir plan along the Indira Gandhi Canal. This project’s success will rely on governance, equity, and strategic foresight in addition to engineering. If properly implemented, it can increase India’s upstream leverage in a vital river basin and provide millions of people with better access to water.
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About the Author: Jyoti Verma
