What Happened
- A 2.3-km-long aqueduct on the Chambal river in Rajasthan is under construction to facilitate drinking and irrigation water supply from the revised Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) link project to 17 districts
- The PKC link project has been integrated with the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) and included in the National Perspective Plan (NPP) for river interlinking
- The MoU for the project's implementation was signed between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh on 17 December 2024
- The aqueduct construction, started in May 2025, is being built at a cost of Rs 2,230 crore in the first phase, with completion targeted by June 2028
- The aqueduct will connect Pipalda Samel village (Kota district) to Guhata (Bundi district) and will transport water using gravity
- The overall PKC-ERCP project is being implemented at a cost of Rs 90,000 crore, designed to benefit a population of 3.25 crore by transferring excess water from the Chambal river basin to water-scarce regions
Static Topic Bridges
National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Interlinking of Rivers
The National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers was formulated by the Government of India in 1980. It envisages the transfer of water from surplus river basins to deficit ones through a network of inter-basin water transfer links. The plan has two components — the Himalayan Rivers Development Component and the Peninsular Rivers Development Component — comprising 30 link projects in total.
- Formulated: 1980 by the Ministry of Water Resources (now Ministry of Jal Shakti)
- Two components: Himalayan (14 links) and Peninsular (16 links)
- Implementing body: National Water Development Agency (NWDA), established 1982 under the Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers (TFILR): Reconstituted periodically to review and guide implementation
- Ken-Betwa Link Project: First project under NPP approved for implementation (December 2021, cost Rs 44,605 crore, central support Rs 39,317 crore); aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river in MP to the Betwa in UP for the drought-prone Bundelkhand region
- Constitutional context: Water is a State List subject (Entry 17, List II), but inter-state rivers fall under Union List (Entry 56, List I) — river linking requires inter-state agreements and central facilitation
- Interstate Water Disputes Act, 1956: Governs resolution of disputes between states regarding inter-state rivers
Connection to this news: The PKC-ERCP link project is the second major river linking project under the NPP (after Ken-Betwa) to move towards implementation, with the Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh MoU signed in December 2024 providing the inter-state agreement framework.
Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) — Now Renamed Ramjal Setu Link Project
The ERCP was conceived by the Rajasthan government to address chronic water scarcity in the state's eastern and south-eastern districts by utilising surplus monsoon water from rivers in southern Rajasthan (Chambal basin) and diverting it to water-deficit regions. It has been integrated with the PKC link of the NPP.
- Originally proposed: 2019 by Rajasthan government
- Renamed: Ramjal Setu Link Project (RSLP) on 22 January 2025 by the Rajasthan Chief Minister
- Coverage: 13 eastern Rajasthan districts including Jaipur, Ajmer, Tonk, Bundi, Kota, Baran, Jhalawar, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, and Dausa
- Foundation stone: Laid by the Prime Minister on 17 December 2024 in Jaipur
- Total project cost: Rs 90,000 crore
- 24 sub-projects under ERCP valued at Rs 46,300 crore
- Water source: Surplus monsoon flows from Kalisindh, Parbati, Mej, and Chakan rivers
- Water transfer route: Navnera barrage (on Kalisindh) to Mej river, then through a feeder to Galwa, Bisalpur, and Isarda dams
- National project status: Previously demanded by the state government with a 90:10 Centre-State expenditure ratio
- Expected to resolve water scarcity at least until 2051
Connection to this news: The Chambal aqueduct is a critical infrastructure component of the ERCP/RSLP, enabling the gravity-based transfer of water across the Chambal river to connect the source basins with distribution points in water-scarce districts.
Chambal River — Geography and Ecological Significance
The Chambal is a major tributary of the Yamuna river, originating near Mhow in the Vindhyan ranges of Madhya Pradesh. It flows through a deep gorge in Rajasthan and is notable for being one of the cleanest rivers in India, partly because its ravines have historically discouraged human settlement and industrial activity along its banks.
- Origin: Near Janapav (Mhow), Indore district, Madhya Pradesh; rises from the northern slopes of the Vindhya Range
- Length: Approximately 960 km; flows through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh
- Tributaries: Kali Sindh, Parbati, Banas, Sipra, Mej (the key rivers in the PKC-ERCP project)
- Major dams: Gandhi Sagar Dam (MP), Rana Pratap Sagar Dam (Rajasthan), Jawahar Sagar Dam (Rajasthan), Kota Barrage (Rajasthan) — cascade system for hydropower and irrigation
- National Chambal Sanctuary: Spreads across MP, Rajasthan, and UP; protects critically endangered gharial (Gavialis gangeticus, IUCN: Critically Endangered), red-crowned roof turtle (IUCN: Critically Endangered), and Indian skimmer (IUCN: Endangered)
- Gharial population: Chambal is one of only two major habitats (with Girwa river in UP) for wild gharials in India
- Chambal ravines: Erosional landform — badlands formed by gully erosion; cover approximately 4,000 sq km
Connection to this news: The aqueduct and river linking project will alter the Chambal basin's hydrology — the ecological implications for the National Chambal Sanctuary and its critically endangered species are a significant environmental consideration.
Aqueducts — Engineering and Water Infrastructure
An aqueduct is a structure built to transport water across obstacles such as rivers, valleys, or other terrain features, using gravity as the primary driving force. The Chambal aqueduct, with an internal width of 41.25 metres and height of 7.7 metres, is a significant feat of hydraulic engineering.
- Principle: Gravity-based water transport — the aqueduct maintains a consistent gradient to ensure water flows without pumping
- Types: Channel aqueducts (open), pipe aqueducts (enclosed), siphon aqueducts (inverted siphon for crossing valleys)
- Historical significance: Roman aqueducts (e.g., Pont du Gard, 1st century CE) were engineering marvels; Hampi aqueduct system in India (Vijayanagara Empire, 14th-16th century CE)
- Modern Indian examples: Narmada canal aqueduct in Gujarat; Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan) — longest canal in India (649 km)
- Indira Gandhi Canal: Brings water from the Sutlej-Beas rivers to the Thar Desert in western Rajasthan; has transformed arid regions into cultivable land
Connection to this news: The 2.3-km Chambal aqueduct is a critical piece of the larger PKC-ERCP infrastructure, designed to carry water from the Navnera barrage area across the Chambal river to the distribution network serving 17 districts.
Key Facts & Data
- Aqueduct length: 2.3 km; width: 41.25 metres; height: 7.7 metres
- First phase cost: Rs 2,230 crore; completion target: June 2028
- Total PKC-ERCP project cost: Rs 90,000 crore
- Beneficiary population: 3.25 crore people across 17 districts
- MoU signed: 17 December 2024 between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
- National Perspective Plan: Formulated 1980; 30 link projects (14 Himalayan + 16 Peninsular)
- Ken-Betwa: First NPP project approved (December 2021; cost Rs 44,605 crore)
- Chambal river length: ~960 km; flows through MP, Rajasthan, UP
- National Chambal Sanctuary: Protects gharial (IUCN: Critically Endangered) and red-crowned roof turtle
- ERCP renamed: Ramjal Setu Link Project (22 January 2025)