Karjat's Rajnala canal repairs speed up as water release for 40 villages' farms is planned

Repairs to the Rajnala canal, which keeps the eastern part of Karjat taluka green, are now moving quickly. Cleaning of all the canals and sub-canals is in full swing. The irrigation department has begun the process of releasing canal water in the first week of December this year.

The Rajnala irrigation group runs on waste water from Tata's Bhivpuri hydroelectric station. Irrigation from the Rajnala left canal has been under way since 1959. The Rajnala right canal and the Pali Potal canal were completed in 1972-73, and irrigation from them began in 1973-74. Twenty-one villages use water from the Rajnala left canal. Seven villages get water from the right canal, and together with the Pali Potal canal a total of 2,542 hectares of land comes under irrigation.

Of the waste water from the hydroelectric station, 42.330 million cubic metres has been sanctioned for the Rajnala irrigation group. The water is released through a dam and diverted onward into the Rajnala left canal, the Rajnala right canal and the Pali Potal canal. The water is vital for two crops a year in 40 villages of Karjat taluka.

Farmers have been hit for the past two years. In 2025 it rained through the whole of May, and standing paddy in the fields was soaked and spoiled, pushing farmers into financial distress. This year the monsoon rain was scanty, so the paddy crop did not grow fully and there were losses.

For this reason the government has declared Karjat taluka drought-hit this year. So that summer paddy can be cultivated properly, the irrigation department has begun moves to release water early for farming in the Rajnala canal area. Drains are being cleared with machines, and the department is cleaning the canals, sub-canals and drains.

The rest of the waste water is released into the Ulhas river. This water serves tap water schemes. The Kalyan, Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, Thane, Mira-Bhayandar and Bhiwandi-Nizampur municipal corporations in Thane district, along with the Ambernath and Badlapur municipal councils, use it for drinking and for industry. The proposed irrigation capacity of the Rajnala irrigation group is 2,542 hectares, while the irrigation capacity created is 2,362 hectares.

Erratic rain has caused the kharif season to slip away, and farmers are in distress. Former MLA Suresh Lad said that where summer cultivation is done, releasing water into the canals in December would allow farming to be done on time and give farmers relief. He said repairs to the Rajnala canals should be completed in November and water released for farming in the first week of December.