Nashik Municipal Corporation’s plan to access an additional 600 million cubic feet of water from the dead storage of Gangapur dam has been delayed after the civic body received no bids for the Rs 9.82 crore project. The delay comes as Nashik faces rising water demand and prepares to host the Simhastha Kumbh Mela next year.
The project aims to remove rocky obstructions between the dam’s dead storage and the Nashik civic body’s jackwell, the structure from which raw water is drawn for treatment and distribution. The municipal corporation floated a tender in the last week of August, setting September 21 as the deadline for bids, but no contractor participated.
“We had invited bids to appoint an agency for removing rock formations that are preventing access to nearly 600 mcft of water trapped in the dead storage of Gangapur dam. Despite floating the tender in the last week of August, we did not receive even a single bid,” an NMC official said.
The civic body is now preparing to issue a fresh tender in the next few days. The failed bidding process is expected to push the project back by at least one to two months. Once a contractor is appointed, the work will have to be completed within six months from the date of issuance of the work order, the official said.
The planned work involves excavating a 590-metre trench and removing a large rock formation that currently prevents water in the dam’s dead storage from reaching the jackwell. The estimated project cost is Rs 9.82 crore.
The additional water is expected to provide Nashik with a reserve lasting nearly a month. Officials consider the project important because Gangapur dam currently accounts for nearly 80% of the city’s water supply, while Mukane and Darna dams meet the remaining requirement.
The NMC supplies around 20 million cubic feet of water daily, including nearly 15 million cubic feet from Gangapur dam and about 5 million cubic feet from Mukane and Darna reservoirs. The proposed intervention is intended to strengthen supply during peak summer and periods of high demand.
The project has acquired added urgency because Nashik will host the Simhastha Kumbh Mela next year. Three major Amrit Snans are scheduled in August and September, when the arrival of pilgrims, sadhus and visitors is expected to increase pressure on the city’s water system.
NMC officials said access to the dead storage would help ensure adequate supply during the festival and address concerns over reservoir levels and future rainfall patterns. The immediate next step is the issue of a fresh tender, followed by appointment of an agency and a six-month construction period after the work order is issued.
