Rajasthan Canal

The Indira Gandhi Canal (originally, Rajasthan Canal) project, with total length of to depending on how the length is calculated which either way includes the length of the Rajasthan Feeder Canal and the downstream length of main Indira Gandhi Canal, is the longest canal in India. In India, it flows through the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, it traverses seven districts, Barmer, Bikaner, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Sriganganagar.

It's Rajasthan Feeder Canal section begins at the Harike Barrage (at Harike village 35 km south of Taran Taran city and 45 km northeast of Firozpur city), immediate downstream from the confluence of the Satluj and Beas rivers in Ferozepur district of Punjab). After flowing the entire length of the project, the Indira Gandhi Canal ends in irrigation facilities in the Thar Desert in the northwest of Rajasthan state.

At the end of long main Indira Gandhi Canal, the long Sagar Mal Gopa Branch Canal (SMGS Canal) begins. And, from the end point of SMGS, another long the Baba Ramdev Sub-branch Canal (BRSB Canal) begins which ends near Gunjangarh village in Jaisalmer district.

Background

Etymology

Previously named as the Rajasthan Canal after the state of Rajasthan it serves, it was renamed as the Indira Gandhi Canal on 2 November 1984 following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

History

The idea of bringing the waters from the Himalayan Rivers flowing through Punjab and into Pakistan was conceived by hydraulic engineer Kanwar Sain in the late 1940s. Sain estimated that of desert land in Bikaner and the northwest corner of Jaisalmer could be irrigated by the stored waters of Punjab rivers.
In 1960, the Indus Water Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan, which gave India the right to use the water from three rivers: the Satluj, Beas and Ravi. The plan for Rajasthan Canal at that time envisioned use of , 9,400 hm³ of water.Ramtanu Maitra: The Indira Gandhi Canal: greening the desert in India EIR Volume 14, Number 7, February 13, 1987

The Canal was constructed in two stages.

* Stage I consisting of construction of the
** Rajasthan Feeder Canal, from Harike barrage in Firozpur district of Punjab to Masitawali (Hanumangarh) in Rajasthan, and
** main Indira Gandhi Canal's section from Masitawali (in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan) to Pugal (in Bikaner district of Rajasthan).
** Stage I also included constructing a distributary canal system of about in length.
** Stage I was completed in 1983 around 20 years behind the original completion schedule.

* Stage II involved the construction of
** Indira Gandhi Canal's long section from Pugal (Bikaner) to Mohangarh (Jaisalmer)
** distributary canal network of .
** revised distributary canal network: The main canal was planned to be wide at the top and wide at the bottom with a water depth of . Scheduled to be completed by 1971, facing delays the plan was revised in 1970 and it was decided that the entire canal would be lined with concrete tiles, five more lift schemes were added and the flow command of Stage II was increased by . With increased requirements, the total length of main, feeder and distribution canals was about .
** Stage II was completed in 2002 around 7 years behind the original completion schedule.

The canal faced severe financial constraints, neglect and corruption. Stage I was completed in 1983 around 20 years behind the completion schedule, stage .

Impact

After the construction of the Indira Gandhi Canal, irrigation facilities became available over an area of in Jaisalmer district and in Barmer district. Mustard, cotton, and wheat now grows in this semi-arid Thar desert region of northwestern India where nothing grew earlier. However, many people question whether the project has achieved its full potential as more land can still be brought under irrigation if more water becomes available.

Future

* Indus basin projects:

** Indus-Yamuna Link Canal (IYLC or IYL Canal or IY Link Canal): 200 km long canal, including 87 km link between Sutluj to Yamuna, will link the 3 western rivers - Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab - which were exclusively for the use by Pakistan under the India-Pakistan Indus Water Treaty (IWT) until the IWT was put in abeyance in early 2025 by India in the aftermath of 2025 Pahalgam attack, with the three eastern rivers - Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej - which were for the exclusive use of India under the IWT, and further west to Yamuna river.A 113 Km-Long Canal: Inside India's Big Indus Waters Treaty Plan
NDTV, 16 June 2025.

*** Indus-Sutlej Link Canal (ISLC or ISL Canal or IS Link Canal), 113 km long canal component of the IYC Canal with 12 tunnels, will link the 3 western rivers - Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, with the three eastern rivers - Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej, by linking 13 existing canals along the way - which are being upgraded, to the terminal point of this new link canal the Indira Gandhi Canal at Harike Barrage on Sutlej river. Beginning June 2025, the 113 km long link canal project will be completed within 3 years by July 2028.सिंधु नदी का पानी रोकने की चिंता अब खत्म, 113 किमी लंबी नहर से तीन राज्यों में पहुंचेगा पानी
MSN, 16 June 2025. Water from this new link canal will be then redistributed to 3 states - Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan - where existing canal network is being upgraded and expanded. Pre-feasibility study for the new link canal begun in June 2025.

** Indus basin hydroelectric dam projects: Simultaneously, in 2025 the work on increasing the capacity of major dams in Indus basin, such as Uri, Dulhasti, Salal, Baglihar, Nimu Bajgo and Chutak is progressing rapidly, and the work on Kishanganga, Ratle, Pakal Dul and Tulbul dams will begin soon.भारत की नई जल रणनीति बदल देगी रेगिस्तान की तस्वीर, जानें क्या चल रही प्लानिंग
MSN, 9 June 2025.

Gallary

File:Rajasthan canal in Punjab.jpg, alt=Indira Gandhi Canal near Fakarsar, Punjab(India), Indira Gandhi Canal near Giddarbaha town in Muktsar district of Punjab state of India.

File:Indira Gandhi Canal Rajasthan Canal Lohgarh Sivender.jpg, alt=Rajasthan Canal near Lohgarh, Haryana(India), A bridge near Lohgarh village of Sirsa district in Haryana state of India, where Indira Gandhi Canal enters from Punjab into Haryana.

File:Indira Gandhi canal near Rawatsar.jpg, Indira Gandhi canal near Rawatsar in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan state of India.

File:Rajasthan canal Shivender.jpg, alt=Rajasthan Canal near Chhattargarh, Rajasthan(India), Indira Gandhi Canal passing through the Thar desert near Chhatargarh village of Bikaner district in Rajasthan.

File:Indira Gandhi Canal.jpg, alt=Rajasthan Canal near Sattasar, Rajasthan(India), Indira Gandhi Canal flowing in the Thar desert near Sattasar village of Bikaner district in Rajasthan.

See also

* List of rivers of Rajasthan
* Rivers and dams of Jammu and Kashmir
* Rigvedic rivers

References

Sources

*Anon. 1998. Statistical Abstract Rajasthan. Directorate of Economic and Statistics, Rajasthan, Jaipur.
*Balak Ram, 1999. Report on Wastelands in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan. CAZRI, Jodhpur.
* Karimkoshteh, M. H. 1995. Greening the Desert (Agro-Economic impact of IG canal). Renaissance Publication, New Delhi.
*Kavadia, P.S. 1991. Problem of waterlogging in Indira Gandhi Nahar Project and outline of Action Plan to tackle it.
*Singh, S. and Kar, A. 1997. Desertification Control - In the arid ecosystem of India for sustainable development. Agro-Botanical Publishers, Bikaner.
*Burdak, L. R. 1982. Recent advances in Desert Afforestation, Dehradun.

{{Authority control

Canals in Punjab, India
Interbasin transfer
Canals in Rajasthan
Irrigation canals
1983 establishments in Rajasthan
Canals opened in 1983