Drainage dept yet to float tender

Ravneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 14

While tender for revamp of city’s Jacob Drain is yet to be issued, officials of the district administration and the Municipal Corporation (MC) today said, “Jacob Drain will be developed and beautified at a cost of Rs 16.19 crore. The site and construction plan for the project has been passed, but the Drainage Department has not floated any tender for its development yet. The work will start after the tender is issued, allocated and cleared.” 

The district administration had made similar claims of revamping Jacob Drain in June too.

Officials, including Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kumar Amit, Municipal Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur and Mayor Sanjeev Kumar Sharma during a visit to the site said, “The Drainage Department will spend funds on the project for which the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) has already provided Rs 2.50 crore.”

The 2.5 km stretch of Jacob Drain’s from Kale-muh-wali-bagichi till Guru Nanak Foundation School, which falls in the city limits, is in dilapidated condition. 

Pillars, side walls and over bridges connecting residents living on both sides of the drain are broken and in a dilapidated condition as iron rods protrude out of them. Smell emanates continuously from the drain as city’s waste is thrown in it.

Officials also could not give information regarding completion date of the project. They said, “The 52 ft wide site will be developed as a tourist spot of which 19 ft area will be covered with concrete.”

Mayor Sanjeev Kumar Sharma said, “The work on the site will start and the old bridges will be re-modelled.”

The superintending engineer, Patiala Drainage circle, Davinder Singh, said, “The work at the site will be done in three phases. The first phase will include lining of the existing section, which will be plastered with brick lining and concrete patches will be re-constructed. Bridges will be re-modelled in the second phase. The department will also install gates at the drain to prevent flow of waste into it.”