AMC starts desilting of Shakkar Baodi

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, June 14:

The desilting of heritage well, Shakkar Baodi, situated on Himayat Baugh has been started on war-footing, from Tuesday morning.

It is hoped that 2 MLD water will be lifted from the well till the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation’s settling plant at Rauza Baugh and then supply it to the citizens of the old city after filtering and testing it.

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has approved and the district administration has okayed an estimate of

Rs 45 lakh for the project. The incharge AMC administrator and district collector Sunil Chavan, today inaugurated the desilting works, this morning. The AMC city engineer S D Panzade, executive engineer Hemant Kolhe, executive engineer of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) Ajay Singh, administrative officer of Himayat Baugh M B Patil, executive engineer (mechanical section) D K Pandit, deputy engineer D P Gaikwad and agriculture officer Avinash Devle were present on the occasion.

“ The well is 20 metres wide and 80 metres long. Today around 150 brass of silt has been removed and within four days all the silt will be removed and the lifting of water will be started. The water will be stored in a settling tank at Rauza Baugh and after filtration here and conducting a few important tests (including its pH value), the water will be supplied to the citizens,” explained Sunil Chavan.

According to sources, “The well was dug to water the shrubs, plants and trees planted in this royal Mughal garden. Besides, it also played a vital role in quenching the thirst of the citizens, some five decades ago. The water of the well is sweet, therefore, the name Shakkar Baodi got popular in the city and the historic records. Moreover, the well has never dried up, so far.”