Excavation at Varun Sagar lake in Ajmer is due to start for the first time in about a century. Assembly Speaker and Ajmer North MLA Vasudev Devnani and Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat inaugurated the desilting work on Saturday. The lake was earlier known as Foy Sagar.
About 188,400 cubic metres of silt will come out of the lake, officials said, adding 6.65 MCFT to its holding capacity. Devnani said the work is meant to raise capacity, widen the catchment area and bring the lake back to its original form by removing encroachments. He said it will also help manage excess rainwater, ease waterlogging in the city and improve the lake’s looks.
A statue of Lord Varun Dev will go up at the lake, and the surrounding garden will be renovated in full.
Tourism plans
Devnani tied the lake project to other planned works: development of Taragarh Fort, a leopard safari, a science park, development of Ana Sagar and beautification of the Chaurasiyawas pond. He said these would bring in tourists and create jobs.
River work
Separate river work is also planned. Crews will clear jungle growth and desilt about 62 km of a local seasonal river stretch from Muhami near Ajmer to restore its flow. The cost is Rs 12.04 crore.
Desilting is also planned for the Dai and Sagarmati rivers and their distributaries, the natural drains of Phulsagar Kayad and Beer, and the Kalyanipura channel. Officials put that set of works at Rs 3 crore. It targets reduced river flow, declining capacity, embankment erosion and flood-like conditions during the rains.
Sources
- Varun Sagar being desilted after 100yrs: Devnani | Jaipur News – The Times of India
- Varun Sagar being desilted after 100yrs: Devnani
