Asia’s largest artificial desert reservoir taking shape in Jaisalmer under Jal Jeevan Mission

JAISALMER: At a time when many parts of India are struggling to secure drinking water, the centuries-old thirsty desert district of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan is witnessing the creation of the country’s largest water storage reservoir in the form of a massive artificial lake. Built under the Jal Jeevan Mission at a cost of ₹242 crore, the artificial reservoir in the Jaisalmer desert is believed to be the largest man-made lake in Asia’s desert region.

Officials of the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP) claim that this gigantic zigzag-shaped lake will ensure uninterrupted year-round drinking water supply to the entire population of Jaisalmer and Barmer districts.

Spread across a 28-kilometre radius covering nearly 7,500 hectares, the reservoir has been constructed with a depth of around 13 feet. Officials claim that it would take nearly 24 hours for a person to travel from one end of the lake to the other.

To prevent the sandy desert soil from absorbing the stored water, a special 300-micron plastic lining has been laid beneath the lake bed. Around 76 lakh square metres of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic sheet has been used to stop seepage and water loss into the ground. The reservoir has also been designed keeping the needs of the Indian Army in mind. A dedicated section has been earmarked where the Army will be able to conduct exercises involving floating tanks and military training operations.

Water filling has already begun, and the reservoir is proposed to be inaugurated by the chief minister of Rajasthan in July. Rainwater carried through the Indira Gandhi Canal will be stored in the lake and later supplied to households in Barmer and Jaisalmer after treatment at filtration plants. Officials say the project can provide continuous drinking water supply for one full year to nearly 50 lakh people.

IGNP executive engineer (XEN) Rampal Moondhiyara said that several desert regions, including Jaisalmer, have suffered from chronic drinking water shortages for decades, especially during the peak summer months. Besides dependence on government supply systems, residents often rely on traditional water sources. Additionally, annual canal shutdowns for maintenance create severe water shortages in Barmer and Jaisalmer districts.

He explained that until now there was no large storage system capable of preserving water during canal closure periods, making such a reservoir essential.

The project was launched in January 2023 under the Jal Jeevan Mission to tackle canal closure and drinking water problems. Initially targeted for completion in 2025, the deadline was later extended to April 15, 2026. At present, nearly 99% of the work has been completed, and water from the Indira Gandhi Canal is being filled into the reservoir.

Around 400 labourers and a team of 10 engineers worked on the project. An existing escape channel connecting the canal was strengthened and integrated with the lake system to divert excess canal water into the reservoir.

According to the XEN, the lake is 28 kilometres long with a base area of 71 lakh square metres. It has been excavated up to a depth of nearly 13 metres and has a storage capacity of 1,413 million cubic feet. The reservoir can store nearly 141 crore litres of water as a year-long backup supply. Officials believe that due to the vast open desert landscape, it could possibly be the largest artificial lake in Asia’s desert belt.

Since desert sand absorbs water rapidly, directly storing water without protection would have resulted in massive seepage losses. Therefore, a 300-micron HDPE plastic layer has been installed across the entire lake base. A protective 80-centimetre layer of soil has been laid above the plastic sheet, ensuring durability for nearly 100 years while also allowing future replacement of the top soil layer if required.

Rampal Moondhiyara further explained that during monsoon seasons, when heavy rainfall occurs in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, excess water flows into the Indira Gandhi Canal. Since farmers require less irrigation water during this period, the surplus canal water will be diverted into the reservoir through a specially built one-kilometre escape channel equipped with two gates.

Once the reservoir is filled, water will be pumped through four 60-inch pipelines from the intake well to the Mohangarh filtration plant, where it will be purified before being supplied to homes in Jaisalmer and Barmer through pipeline networks.

Moondhiyara added that, at the request of the Indian Army, a separate area inside the reservoir has been reserved for military training activities involving floating tanks and water-based operations.

Apart from this escape reservoir, three more reservoirs have been proposed under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The government has approved a total budget of ₹1,274.26 crore for all four projects. Works at RD 1356 and RD 750 in Jaisalmer district have already been completed, while work at RD 507 and RD 1121 for Bikaner and Jodhpur districts is proposed to begin soon.