Salt accumulation in the root zone is a major cause of land degradation in arid and semi-arid regions, severely limiting the sustainability of agricultural systems. Conventional salinity management technologies have shown limited adoption due to operational constraints like higher cost of installation and maintenance. This study evaluated the efficacy of a rice residue-filled cut-soiler constructed preferential shallow subsurface drainage (PSSD) system in mitigating soil salinization and enhancing crop productivity. The Cut-soiler PSSD was built at four lateral spacings, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 m, with control (no Cut-soiler) plots in saline soil. Pearl millet and mustard were cultivated under saline water irrigation. After three years, soil salinity declined by 52.4% compared to the initial level and by 52.6% relative to the control under the 2.5 m spacing. Desalination efficiency decreased with increasing spacing, with minimal change in the control. The most pronounced reduction occurred within 1.25 m on either side of the drain. A concurrent increase in soil pH was observed, with the highest rise (7.43 to 8.33) under 2.5 m spacing. In the cut-soiler PSSD treatments, soil solution HCO3- concentration increased over time, while Cl-, SO4 & sup2;-, Na+, Ca & sup2;+, and Mg & sup2;+ levels decreased. Grain yields of pearl millet and mustard increased by 2.30 and 1.36 times, respectively, under 2.5 m spacing compared to the control after three years. The study demonstrates that the Cut-soiler PSSD is an effective and low-cost strategy for desalination of saline soils, with a 2.5 m lateral spacing offering optimal salt removal and productivity benefits under arid and semi-arid conditions.