Ahmedabad: The Par–Tapi–Narmada River Link Project has faced significant opposition in South Gujarat, and the Central government has now officially removed it from the list of priority river-linking projects. On December 15, the Ministry of Jal Shakti clarified in the Rajya Sabha that while the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project was completed, it has been dropped from the “priority links” category.

The controversial Par–Tapi–Narmada project, which aimed to connect rivers to supply water to drought-prone areas, has consistently sparked protests in South Gujarat.

The project was originally mooted in 1980 by the state government and later revived in 2011 during the tenure of the then Prime Minister, late Dr. Manmohan Singh. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) was subsequently prepared by the concerned central ministry in 2017.

In 2022, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Navsari MP C.R. Patil jointly announced the decision to suspend the project. Since that announcement, no progress has been made by either the state or the central government to advance the project.

According to the Rajya Sabha reply, out of 30 identified interlinking-of-rivers (ILR) projects under the National Perspective Plan (NPP), DPRs for 13 projects have been completed. While some projects, such as the Ken–Betwa Link Project, have moved into the implementation stage, the Par–Tapi–Narmada and Daman–Ganga–Pinjal projects have been kept pending due to inter-state consensus issues and other implementation challenges.

The government highlighted that inter-state cooperation, statutory clearances, land acquisition, and environmental considerations remain major constraints in executing ILR projects. Consultation mechanisms through the NWDA Society, the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers, and the Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers ensure continuous engagement with states to resolve issues and coordinate implementation.

The decision to drop the Par–Tapi–Narmada project from the priority list confirms that, for now, the project will remain on hold, despite local demands and longstanding debates over water distribution in South Gujarat. DeshGujarat