Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav on Thursday, 28 May 2026, inspected the ongoing restoration work at the historic Ahilya Kund stepwell in Barlai Jagir, Sanwer tehsil, Indore district, under the state government's Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan (Water-Ganga Conservation Campaign). The ancient bawdi, originally built in the 18th century, is being revived as part of a broader push to restore traditional water bodies across Madhya Pradesh.

Context

In his post, CM Yadav wrote: 'जल गंगा संवर्धन अभियान' के तहत आज सांवेर, इंदौर के बरलाई जागीर स्थित प्राचीन अहिल्या कुंड के जीर्णोद्धार कार्य का निरीक्षण किया ('Today, under the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan, I inspected the restoration work of the ancient Ahilya Kund located at Barlai Jagir, Sanwer, Indore'). He noted that Lokamata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar had commissioned the grand stepwell in the 18th century for the use of travellers and villagers. He added that the bawdi would 'soon be restored to its original form and become a source of inspiration for water conservation for the people.'

Policy Backdrop

The Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan is a Madhya Pradesh government initiative combining heritage preservation with groundwater recharge objectives. It targets the revival of pre-modern water harvesting structures — stepwells, tanks, and kunds — that have fallen into disuse or disrepair, particularly across the water-stressed Malwa and central India regions. CM Yadav noted that 'many such ancient water sources across the state have already been restored' under the campaign.

Madhya Pradesh governments have periodically undertaken restoration of Ahilyabai Holkar-era water structures since the early 2000s, linking 18th-century public works with present-day environmental and cultural messaging. The current campaign extends that lineage under BJP governance, pairing heritage identity with water security objectives.

Ahilyabai Holkar and the Stepwell Legacy

Ahilyabai Holkar, the revered 18th-century ruler of the Indore princely state, is widely credited with commissioning extensive public infrastructure — temples, ghats, roads, and water structures — across the Malwa region and beyond. The Ahilya Kund at Barlai Jagir is one such structure, built to serve both villagers and travellers passing through the area. Its restoration carries symbolic weight, invoking a legacy of public welfare that the state government has repeatedly cited in its cultural outreach.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of the restored stepwell are expected to be rural communities in and around Sanwer tehsil, along with heritage groups advocating for the preservation of Holkar-era architecture. Groundwater recharge from restored water bodies also holds broader agricultural significance for the region. State-level initiatives of this kind have drawn attention from conservation advocates who see them as models for integrating cultural heritage with environmental policy.

What's Next

The state government has indicated that the Ahilya Kund will be restored 'soon,' though no specific completion date has been announced. Progress reports on the kund's completion and any state-wide data on the total number of water sources restored under the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan are expected to follow as the campaign advances. The restoration effort signals continued state investment in heritage-linked water conservation ahead of the monsoon season.