Rajasthan clears DPR for ₹7,893-cr Brahmani–Bisalpur water link

Jaipur: The state water resources department has completed the detailed project report (DPR) for a Rs 7,893-crore river-link scheme aimed at increasing inflows into Bisalpur Dam, the primary drinking water source for Jaipur and nearby districts. The plan proposes lifting water from the Brahmani River near the Bhainsrodgarh area and transporting it about 125 km to the Banas River, which feeds the Bisalpur reservoir.

“According to the estimate of the DPR, 680 MCM of water could reach the dam during the monsoon. This is around 62% of Bisalpur’s total storage capacity — strengthening drinking water supplies for Jaipur, Ajmer, Tonk, Dausa and Sawai Madhopur,” stated a senior WRD official.

The department expects the additional inflow to improve reliability during dry spells and help stabilise supplies for fast-growing urban and peri-urban populations dependent on Bisalpur.

The scheme is designed to integrate with the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project water grid, officially renamed the Ram Jal Setu Link Project. Officials say the linkage is intended to provide long-term water security in drought-prone regions, reduce distress migration and support broader economic activity by ensuring more predictable availability of water.

Project details indicate that during the monsoon, substantial Brahmani River flows move into the Chambal River and onward to the Kota Barrage. The proposal seeks to capture around 4,800 cusecs of excess monsoon water that otherwise passes downstream, routing it toward Bisalpur. Water will also be drawn from Rana Pratap Sagar during the rainy season, and a feeder is planned between the dam and the barrage to facilitate transfers.

“It means a reliable drinking water supply will increase in districts/areas such as Jaipur, Ajmer, Tonk, Dausa and Sawai Madhopur. An estimated 355 million cubic metres of additional water will be utilised each monsoon, meeting the growing demand (approximately 1,600 MLD) by 2045,” the official stated.

Beyond drinking water, the project is expected to support irrigation, improve crop output and raise farm incomes.

Environmental clearance is a key challenge because the canal alignment intersects Bhainsrodgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Mukundara Tiger Reserve and Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary. “To minimise environmental impact, a tunnel of approximately 32 km is proposed to be constructed in these areas,” another official added.