Expertise: Water Resources Specialist/Hydrologist
Expertise Group: Engineering
Consultant Source: International
TOR Keywords: Khadakwasla Project, Krishna-Bhima Flood Diversion Project, feasibility studies, hydraulic projects, pressurized pipe system, water use efficiency
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
ADB is supporting the State Government of Maharashtra to prepare the Sustainable Water Integrated
Maharashtra (SWIM) Project that will (i) modernize the Khadakwasla Project, and (ii) prepare the scope
and design of the Krishna-Bhima Flood Diversion Project. The Water Resources Department (WRD),
Maharashtra, is the executing agency.
Khadakwasla Modernization Project (KMP)
The Khadakwasla Project is about 160 years old and is located on the periphery of Pune on a tributary of
the Bhima River (K-5 subbasin) and upstream of the Ujani reservoir. The project has four large head
reservoirs (Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgao, and Temghar, with total live storage of 29.15 TMC) located
west of Pune in the Western Ghats and about 77,000 ha of irrigation command area located east of Pune.
Most of the irrigation is gravity-fed via 313 km of main canals and a further 59 distributary canals,
but about 14,000 ha is lifted from the main canal by the Janai Shirsai Lift Irrigation Scheme (JSLIS).
Along with supplying irrigation, the New Mutha Right Bank Canal also provides water for drinking and
industry along its length and ultimately ends at the Ujani reservoir. The project has a total annual
allocation of 33.77 TCM, of which 8.3 TMC was originally allocated for Pune’s drinking water, 22.55 TMC
for irrigation, and 2.92 TCM for evaporation. However, the amount provided for Pune’s municipal
consumption has substantially increased over the past few decades to about 20.5 TMC. The municipality
returns some of that water to the system as partially treated wastewater.
WRD’s modernization proposal is aimed towards (i) improving water use efficiency and reducing losses to
meet the urban and irrigation water demands, (ii) avoiding urban encroachment (the two main right bank
canals now run through urban areas due to urban spread), and (iii) modernizing infrastructure to restore
its original capacity, improve water management, and achieve equitable water distribution. Specifically,
WRD’s proposal comprises (i) strengthening/rehabilitating the four dams; (ii) strengthening and
modernizing the Old Mutha Right Bank Canal (111 km) and the New Mutha Right Bank Canal (202 km); (iii)
modernizing canal structures; (iv) converting a section of the New Mutha Right Bank Canal to a new 25.4
km long Khadakwasla-Fursungi Tunnel (KFT, 5.8m width) to bypass urban encroachment areas and help
conserve about 2.2 TMC; and (v) replacing the JSLIS’s open canals with a pressurized pipe system to
increase water use efficiency and reduce pumping costs.
WRD is preparing three separate detailed project reports (DPRs) for the main canal works, the tunnel,
and for JSLIS pressurization. Surveying has been completed and cost estimates are under preparation. All
works, except for the tunnel, are in already-acquired land and only state clearances are necessary. WRD
wish to procure the JSLIS pressurization under an engineering-procurement-construction contract (EPC)
and the tunnel works also using an EPC contract with a geotechnical baseline report to allocate risk
sharing. WRD have engaged a firm to prepare the bid documents. WRD will be the project’s executing
agency with (a) Pune Irrigation Project Circle responsible for implementing the JSLIS and tunnel
components, and (b) Pune Irrigation Circle responsible for implementing the remaining components.
Krishna-Bhima Flood Diversion Tunnel Project (KBFDT)
The KBFDT aims to transfer water from the Krishna subbasin to the Bhima subbasin to reduce flooding and
increase water availability in dry zone areas.
ADB will support WRD in (i) providing guidance on preparing the project’s feasibility study, (ii)
identification of risks and mitigation strategies, (iii) support with navigating the legal aspects,
including those related to the KWDT and obtaining environment clearances, and (iv) financial and
technical support with preparing the detailed project report (DPR).
Scope of Work
ADB will engage a team of international and national experts to work with local experts engaged by WRD
to review the technical and economic feasibility of the two projects. The main tasks for the consultant
team will be:
• Field a site visit to collect information.
• Review available information, including existing prefeasibility designs, DPRs, and cost estimates.
• Advise on the technical and economic feasibility of the proposed schemes.
• Recommend improvements to the design and cost estimates, if any.
• Advise on additional processing requirements, if any.
• Advise on implementation arrangements for the KMP.
• Prepare separate draft preliminary feasibility reports for the two projects (KMP and KBFDT)
summarizing findings with content that is sufficient to meet the template requirements of DEA’s
Preliminary Project Report and ADB’s Project Concept Paper. Annexes will include detailed technical and
economic assessments.
• Support ADB missions by contributing to aide memoires and other outputs.
ADB will mobilize the experts and field a consultation mission in Q2 2023 to collect information, visit
the project sites for both projects, discuss in more detail how to undertake the preliminary work, and
outline a realistic processing schedule.
The team will report to the Team Leader and ADB, and will comprise:
a. A Hydraulic Structures Specialist/Dams Expert/Team Leader (international) with significant experience
in the design and rehabilitation of dams and hydraulic structures. He/she will assume overall Team
Leader roles in setting the workplan, coordinating among team experts, compiling the team’s outputs and
preparing the draft reports, and liaising with ADB, WRD, national experts, and other stakeholders as
necessary.
b. A Water Resources Specialist/Hydrologist (international) with ample experience in hydrologic
assessment for dams, floods, and irrigation systems. The expert will have good experience with preparing
water balance models and incorporating climate change projections.
c. A Geologist/Tunnel Specialist (international) with significant experience in the planning, design,
and construction supervision of large diameter and long tunnels. The review will include advising on
site investigations, detailed designs, construction methods, cost estimates, bid documents, the proposed
inlet and outlet sites, and tunnel alignment.
d. An Economist (international) to prepare preliminary economic assessments of both projects following
ADB’s Guidelines for the Economic Analysis of Projects (2017).
e. A Pressurized Irrigation Specialist (international) with significant experience in the design and
preparation of bid documents for large pressurized irrigation systems.
a. A Social Safeguards Specialist (international) with significant experience in conducting social and
gender analysis and safeguard due diligence on involuntary resettlement and indigenous people and
according to requirements of ADB Safeguard Policy Statement (2009).
b. An Environment Safeguards Specialist (national) with significant experience in EIA preparation and
process, including for water infrastructure projects, and according to requirements of ADB Safeguard
Policy Statement (2009).
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
The consultant will perform the following tasks:
(i) This assignment will focus on the Krishna-Bhima Diversion Tunnel Project (KBDTP) and develop basic
flood risk and water balance models that can be used to undertake prefeasibility-level assessments of
the proposed diversion tunnel. The results should be suitable to inform the sizing of the tunnel and its
economic benefits.
(ii) For the Krishna (K-1) and Bhima (K-5) subbasins, gather and review all available information on
water management and irrigations systems, hydromet data, and available analysis on projected climate
change impacts on floods, water availability, and consumption.
(iii) Review available studies for flood protection in the K-1 subbasin and enhancing water availability
in the K-5 subbasin and provide recommendations for enhancements, if any.
(iv) Review existing water balance models (for K-1 and K-5) and flood models (K-1 only) and advise on
improvements, if needed, necessary to meet the objectives of this analysis. Work with the national
expert to improve the models and tailor them to fit the needs of this assignment.
(v) Use the water balance to advise on the diversion tunnel size to meet flood mitigation and basin
transfer objectives. Optimization of the tunnel size to balance costs and benefits will be needed.
(vi) Assess the diversion tunnel’s benefits in reducing flood flows, levels, and extents downstream of
its intake on River Krishna in the Sangli and Kolhapur districts and work with the economist on how to
quantify avoided flood damage benefits for the economic analysis.
(vii) Assess the diversion tunnel’s benefits on increasing water availability in the K-5 subbasin and
likely increases in crop production, municipal consumption, and power generation at the Ujani Dam. Work
with the economist to quantify associated economic benefits.
(viii) Provide inputs to the team leader finalizing separate technical reports for both the KBDTP and
Khadakswala Modernization Project.
(ix) Guide the national expert as necessary, review outputs, and prepare final reports. Liaise with ADB,
WRD, national experts, and other stakeholders as necessary.
(x) Support ADB missions by contributing to aide memoires and other outputs.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
The Water Resources Specialist/Hydrologist shall have as a minimum a degree or equivalent in water
resources, hydrology or engineering with at least 20 years of experience undertaking flood risk and
water balance models, climate change assessments, and general hydrologic engineering of large projects.
Ideally the specialist will have work experience with ADB or the World Bank.
Minimum General Experience: 20 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 15 Years
