Narmada Valley Development Project

The Narmada–Jhabua–Petalawad–Thandala–Sardarpur Lift Irrigation Scheme (LIS) is a large-scale irrigation project implemented by the Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) to enhance agricultural productivity and water availability in the tribal and drought-prone regions of Jhabua and Dhar districts in Madhya Pradesh. The scheme is designed to lift water from the Narmada River and distribute it across an extensive command area, enabling assured irrigation and supporting rural development.

This landmark project plays a crucial role in strengthening agrarian livelihoods by providing reliable irrigation to a vast stretch of farmland, directly benefiting nearly 150 villages. Wilo India was actively involved throughout the project lifecycle, from the design stage to commissioning, ensuring that the pumping infrastructure met the demanding hydraulic, operational, and reliability requirements of a high-capacity lift irrigation scheme.

Lift irrigation projects of this magnitude demand pumping solutions capable of handling very high discharge, extreme operating heads, and continuous long-duration operation with maximum reliability. The Narmada–Jhabua–Petalawad–Thandala–Sardarpur LIS required a robust pumping system to ensure consistent water delivery across a large command area while maintaining energy efficiency and operational stability.

To meet these requirements, 37 high-capacity Vertical Turbine Pumps were supplied and commissioned, each rated between 3.9 MW and 4.2 MW, resulting in a total installed pumping capacity of approximately 150 MW. Vertical turbine pumps are ideally suited for lift irrigation applications due to their ability to operate efficiently in deep water sources, deliver high flow rates at significant heads, and ensure long service life under demanding conditions. This installation represents one of the largest single-scheme vertical turbine pump deployments for Wilo in India and stands as a benchmark project in large-scale irrigation infrastructure, supporting sustainable agriculture and rural growth in the region.