Archive · 3 Aug 2026
Neglected Panchakki Canal Threatens Historic Water Mill
The Panchakki water mill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is a very old building that used a special canal to bring water for grinding flour.
The canal was built in 1714 and comes from a river called the Over River.
In recent years, the canal has been broken in many places, so a lot of water is lost and the mill might run out of water.
The people who should protect the site, like the Waqf Board and the Archaeology Department, have not fixed the problem.
A historian named Dr Ramzan Shaikh has asked the government to help, but nothing has been done yet.
If the canal keeps getting worse, the water channel could disappear and the city would lose an important part of its history.
Historic Panchakki water mill and canal in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have suffered neglect, with breaches causing water loss.
The canal, built in 1714 and sourced from the Over River near Jatwada, was part of Malik Ambar's Nahar-e-Ambari system.
The Waqf Board and Archaeology Department have not addressed the canal’s deterioration, risking the mill running dry.
Historian Dr Ramzan Shaikh has repeatedly petitioned authorities for conservation, but appeals have been ignored.
If unaddressed, the canal’s remaining water channel may disappear, erasing a key piece of the city’s heritage.
- Who
- Dr Ramzan Shaikh, Waqf Board, Archaeology Department
- What
- Neglect of the Panchakki water mill and its canal
- When
- Past few years; canal built in 1714
- Where
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, India
- Why
- Lack of action by authorities, leading to water loss and potential loss of heritage
- Historic Site
- Panchakki Water Mill
- Location
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, India
- Construction Year
- 1714
- Water Source
- Over River near Jatwada
- Current Status
- Neglected, canal breached