The city of Udaipur is set to witness a significant improvement in its drinking water supply with the approval of the Dewas Project's third and fourth phases by the state government. This project is expected to meet the city's water demands for decades to come. The foundation stone laying ceremony for this highly anticipated project is scheduled for March 1, 2024, with Chief Minister  Bhajan Lal Sharma and the Governor of Assam, Gulabchand Kataria, presiding over the event.

Suresh Singh Rawat, the Minister of Water Resources Department, emphasized the state government's dedication to ensuring a consistent and sufficient supply of drinking water and irrigation water. This commitment was further demonstrated through a recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ERSIP and Yamuna Water Corporation. The collaboration aims to strengthen water resource management in the state, reflecting the government's focus on addressing water needs effectively.

Dewas Project Till Now

Minister Suresh Singh Rawat highlighted the progress of the Dewas project, aimed at ensuring immediate drinking water supply to Udaipur city. Initially, the Dewas-First (Gorana Dam) was constructed in 1973-74, boasting a total capacity of 120 MCFT. Responding to the city's increasing water demand in 2011, planning for the Dewas-Second project commenced. This led to the construction of the Madi Dam, with a capacity of 85 MCFT. 

As part of the Dewas project 2, a tunnel spanning 1.21 kilometers was constructed to link the main tunnel of Akodada. Furthermore, a dam with a capacity of 302 MCFT was erected. An 11.05-kilometer-long tunnel was also built from the dam to Pichola Lake in Udaipur city, facilitating an annual water diversion of 550 MCFT. This comprehensive undertaking reached completion in 2015. 

Upcoming Dewas Project 

According to the Department of Public Health Engineering, the projected population of Udaipur city is 875,874 by 2031. However, the city's annual water demand is 2397 MCFT, with only 1738 MCFT of water currently available. As per population growth estimates, this demand is expected to rise to 2613 MCFT by 2036.

To address this future water demand, the third and fourth projects of the Dewas scheme have been devised. The Dewas third project involves the construction of a dam near Nathiyathal village in the Gogunda tehsil of Udaipur district, with a capacity of 703 MCFT. This initiative aims to ensure a sustainable and adequate water supply for Udaipur's growing population in the years to come. 

A tunnel measuring 11.04 meters in length will be built as part of the Dewas Second Project (Akodada Dam) for diverting water. The water diversion will occur from the existing Akodada Dam and tunnel to the Pichola Lake in Udaipur city. In the Dewas Fourth Project, a dam with a capacity of 390 million cubic feet (MCFT) will be constructed near Ambawa village in Gogunda tehsil. Additionally, a 4.3-kilometer tunnel will be constructed to connect the Dewas Fourth Dam to the Dewas Third Dam, facilitating water transfer between the two. This will allow the water from the Dewas Fourth Dam to be diverted to the Dewas Third Dam, and further to the Pichola Lake through the Dewas Second (Akodada Dam) and tunnel as required. The Dewas Third and Fourth projects will affect a total of 156.18 hectares of forest land, with an additional proposal to acquire 133.45 hectares of private land. 

Suresh Singh Rawat announced that the third and fourth projects in Dewas are estimated to cost Rs 1690.55 crores. The goal is to complete them within 44 months. These projects aim to transfer 1000 MCFT of water annually to the lakes of Udaipur city. The Public Health Engineering Department has already granted administrative and financial approval for the project. Construction of the dam has been awarded to M/s Dilip Buildcon Limited, Bhopal, with a work order worth Rs 396.93 crores. Survey work has begun. Additionally, the tunnel construction work, with a work order of Rs 432.74 crores, has been assigned to M/s Megha Engineering Limited, Hyderabad. Survey work for this project has also commenced.