Pune will see a historic event as the world's largest stepwell foundation stone gets placed just the night after World Environment Day. The first step constructed in a sustainable community in India will also be the first in 500 years to be used for water conservation. The tourists traveling specifically to Gujarat and Rajasthan will experience firsthand the ancient water conservation technology and architectural grandeur. World-renowned builder Sandeep Sonigra, renowned for his ecologically aware projects, including India's first five-star green project, is building this particular stepwell in history in the EvoGreen City, which is being built in Pune's Dehu.

The Plan Until Now ~ 

Built on roughly 45 acres in Dehu, EvoGreen City will be the first sustainable community in the nation. The community will be entirely dependent on renewable energy and gathered water thanks to two German institutions. There are about 70 acres of surrounding woodland and one kilometer of the Indrayani River running alongside. This stepwell, with a 90 thousand cubic meter volume, will be four times larger than the 24 thousand cubic meter Abhaneri stepwell in Rajasthan. This stepwell will raise the groundwater level, benefiting not only the 15,000 residents of the township but also the entire Dehu village, by preserving every drop of rainwater.

Sandeep Sonigra, the brain behind India’s first sustainable township, said, “Since the stepwell will be a slanting stepwell, it will turn out to be around seven times of Abhaneri. Stepwell is our ancestral gift, which provides sufficient water even in drought-prone areas of Rajasthan. In cities like Pune, people waste a lot of water and we aim to preserve it like a precious commodity.”

( Google Images) 
 

On Thursday, the evening after World Environment Day, the first stone was placed in the foundation for the stepwell's construction. The stepwell will descend 20 meters in the second phase, which will require an additional three years to finish. This stepwell in Pune will be the nation's newest stepwell, built after Telangana's stepwell. The majority of step-wells in Rajasthan are approximately 900 years old. Concerning resource utilization both during and after construction, the EvoGreen township has been striving toward carbon-positive footprints. In addition to employing environmentally friendly building materials, the post-construction features will fully utilize step-well water and renewable energy sources to meet the demands of every resident.


Still of Mr. Sandeep Sonigra
(Source: Google Images) 

“We have executed projects completely based on renewable energy but this is the first time that our project will also be self-dependent on water. The self-sufficiency will not be limited to the residents of our township, but will also benefit the village by increasing groundwater. This humongous project will also be a marvel in terms of architecture, which should remain as a legacy,” said Sonigra in his concluding remarks during his speech at the unrevealing ceremony.