Pimpri Chinchwad, 10th October 2026: Farmers affected by the Andra dam project in Maval have opposed the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal CorporationтАЩs (PCMC) plan to bring water directly from the dam through a closed pipeline, demanding that their long-pending rehabilitation issues be resolved first.
The opposition comes as the civic body prepares to float tenders for the project after the model code of conduct ends. Farmers have submitted a memorandum to the tehsildar, seeking government intervention and a meeting to address their demands.
PCMC currently draws around 95тАУ100 million litres per day (MLD) from the Indrayani river at the Nighoje bund to meet its 100 MLD allocation from Andra dam. The water is pumped to a 300 MLD water treatment plant in Chikhali before being supplied to the city. However, the civic body often struggles to receive its full quota, while drawing water from the river also raises treatment costs.
To address these issues, PCMC plans to bring water directly from Andra dam through a closed pipeline. The civic bodyтАЩs estimate committee has approved a Rs 220 crore plan for the pipeline and associated works. The water resources department has also allotted 95 gunthas of land near the dam for a jackwell.
Farmers said they had not opposed the existing practice of drawing water from the Nighoje bund but objected to the proposed direct pipeline until their pending demands were addressed. They also alleged that land acquisition for Phase IV of the Talegaon MIDC project was being undertaken in Nigade, Ambale, Pavlewadi and Kalhat without taking local farmers into confidence.
PCMC has been drawing water from Andra dam since May 2023. Along with its 100 MLD allocation from Andra, the city has a sanctioned quota of 167 MLD from Bhama-Askhed dam in Khed taluka.
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