Rajasthan set to complete 28km Thar reservoir supplying 5 million people
Rajasthan is set to complete a giant 28-kilometer-long reservoir right in the Thar Desert, aiming to keep five million people in Jaisalmer and Barmer supplied with water, even when the main Indira Gandhi Canal shuts down for maintenance.
Costing ₹242 crore, this new tank can hold 1.41 billion liters of water at a depth of 33 feet and is set to be a game-changer for the region.
Reservoir lined with plastic and soil
Every year, the Indira Gandhi Canal takes a break for repairs, leaving towns worried about running dry.
This new reservoir steps in as backup: water gets stored, treated, and piped out so nobody's left without supply.
To make sure not a drop is wasted in the sandy soil, engineers lined it with thick plastic and covered it with soil for extra protection against desert heat.
The reservoir becomes operational this July as part of India's Jal Jeevan Mission to tackle long-standing water shortages here.