The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has planned a Rs 826.62 crore initiative to rejuvenate the Indrayani and Pavana rivers, aiming to make them pollution-free.

Funded jointly by the Centre and Maharashtra government, the project targets halting untreated sewage, solid waste, and pollution from religious activities flowing into these rivers. Of the total budget, Rs 674.13 crore is allocated for the Indrayani river, and Rs 152.49 crore for the Pavana river. The Indrayani project will involve constructing new sewage treatment plants, upgrading existing ones, and establishing solid waste management systems, with technical approval from IIT Roorkee. It will also include measures like iron mesh barriers and biogas plants.

The Pavana river project spans 54 villages, with 14 sewage treatment plants and solid waste management plans. PMRDA aims to protect the rivers’ ecological and cultural value. "The central government will fund 60% and the state government 40%," said the PMRDA Commissioner.