MAPUSA
The long-pending repairs to the right bank canal of the inter-state Tillari Irrigation Project are finally set to begin on October 20, following the Goa government’s green signal to Maharashtra to shut the canal for more than two months.
The canal will remain closed until December 31 to facilitate urgent repairs to sections affected by extensive leakages and deterioration. Water discharge from the project is expected to resume in the first week of January 2027.
The decision follows months of uncertainty and discussions between the two states over the timing of the shutdown, with Goa weighing the need for urgent repairs against its dependence on the project for drinking water and irrigation.
“After putting our systems in place, we had given a go-ahead to the Maharashtra government to start repair work on the right bank canal of the Tillari Irrigation Project from October 10. But they were still dilly-dallying in starting the work,” said Dnyaneshwar Salelkar, Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department (WRD).
Salelkar said Goa had withheld permission for repairs to the left bank canal because of the State’s water requirements.
He added that the government had made alternative arrangements to ensure that the closure of the right bank canal does not disrupt water supply in affected parts of Goa.
The repairs, which have been pending for the past five to six years, became imperative due to extensive leakages in the main canals in Maharashtra. The infrastructure, built nearly three decades ago, has deteriorated considerably over the years.
According to Yogesh Patil, a senior Maharashtra official overseeing the Tillari project, the work order for repairs to the right bank canal was issued in January 2026. However, the work could not begin as the Goa government’s final decision on the proposed closure was awaited.
Patil said the two states had initially agreed to a three-month shutdown, with October 10 proposed as the commencement date. The start of repairs has now been pushed to October 20, with a few additional days required for planning and preparatory work.
With Maharashtra facing a shortage of water for agriculture this year, farmers must be informed at least 10 days before the canal is shut, he said.
The repair programme will involve strengthening the ageing canal structure with a 15-centimetre-thick reinforced concrete lining to address leakages and improve its durability.
The Tillari project, located in Maharashtra’s Dodamarg taluka, is crucial to Goa’s water security. Around 73 per cent of the water from the project is supplied to Goa for drinking and irrigation, while the remainder is used for agriculture in Maharashtra.
In Goa, the project primarily meets drinking water requirements in parts of Pernem, Bardez and Bicholim talukas, making the planned shutdown a significant concern for the State.
