The Chief Minister's Office of Maharashtra announced on Friday, 3 July 2026 that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a high-level meeting at Vidhan Bhavan, Mumbai on the proposed Pavana Direct Parallel Pipeline Project (Pavana Thet Samantar Jalvahini Prakalp), affirming that the scheme for Pimpri-Chinchwad will move forward only with the consent, trust, and dialogue of local farmers.

Context

The meeting was convened to address growing urgency around water supply for Pimpri-Chinchwad, one of Maharashtra's fastest-growing industrial cities. The city currently has a population of approximately 38 lakh and receives around 650 MLD (million litres per day) of water — sourced from the Pavana river (520 MLD), the Indrayani river (100 MLD), and MIDC (30 MLD). Current demand stands at roughly 655 MLD against an approved water reservation of 776 MLD.

The proposed project will lay a direct pipeline from Pavana Dam to the Sector 23, Nigdi water treatment plant, ensuring pollution-free, reliable delivery of raw water to the purification facility. CM Fadnavis underscored that without planned water management, a serious water crisis could emerge in the future as new settlements continue to expand across the state.

Policy Backdrop

CM Fadnavis directed officials to prepare a coordinated long-term water plan for the Pune Metropolitan Region through 2050, accounting for rising population, urbanisation, and industrialisation. He specifically instructed that treated wastewater be recycled for industrial, commercial, horticultural, and construction use to reduce pressure on drinking water sources.

'Protecting the interests of farmers alongside development is the government's highest priority,' Fadnavis stated, adding that decisions accumulated over decades cannot be left as a burden for the current generation. He directed that local elected representatives take initiative in fulfilling assurances already given to farmers and avoid any delay in the process. Maharashtra has a precedent for consent-based infrastructure delivery, with schemes such as Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan (2015) embedding stakeholder dialogue into water projects.

Fadnavis also stressed that advancing development projects by winning people's trust — rather than facing opposition — is far more important, calling on all political parties, elected representatives, relevant departments, and local citizens to work in unison.

Stakeholders and Impact

The project is expected to serve Pimpri-Chinchwad's expanding population with safe, uninterrupted drinking water. Farmer communities along the pipeline corridor are central stakeholders; the government has committed to proceeding only after broad consultations involving local farmers, all elected representatives, and the concerned government departments.

Present at the meeting were Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Anna Bansode, Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Member of Parliament Shrirang Appa Barne, other MLAs, and senior officials. Their presence signals a cross-party, multi-tier effort to build consensus around a project that has previously faced farmer resistance over land and water rights.

What's Next

The immediate next step is the launch of structured consultations with farmers and local representatives, with the government stating it is 'ready for dialogue.' Officials have been directed to prepare an integrated water master plan for the Pune Metropolitan Region up to 2050, including new source planning, efficient use of existing sources, and mandatory wastewater recycling targets.

The pace and outcome of farmer consultations — and any subsequent land acquisition notifications — will determine whether the Pavana Direct Parallel Pipeline Project can move to its next phase without the delays that have historically stalled infrastructure projects in the region. Maharashtra's ability to balance rapid urban growth with agrarian consent will be closely watched as a model for other expanding metro corridors in the state.