137 OHSRs, 173-km transmission lines to be laid for 24x7 water supply

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, January 21

As many as 137 overhead supply reservoirs (OHSRs) and 173-km-long transmission main lines will be laid to supply 24x7 canal-based surface drinking water to Ludhiana residents, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has said.

With tenders for the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) funded Rs 3,394.45-crore project already having been floated, work on the ambitious scheme will begin next month.

Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dr Shena Aggarwal told The Tribune that the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) had already floated tenders for the project as per the detailed project report (DPR) that has been approved by the WB.

She said the due date for tender applications was February 7, following which work would be awarded to the most eligible bidder.

“The objective of the project is to shift from groundwater to surface water, while ensuring that the essential commodity was supplied on a 24x7 basis,” the Municipal Corporation chief said.

Dr Aggarwal said the scheme would be executed in two phases. While Phase I would include raw water system, water treatment plant (WTP), treated water pumping, transmission mains from WTP to OHSRs, Phase II would involve distribution system and house service connections with metering.

“As of now, the Phase I works will be executed with support from the World Bank while Phase II works will be taken up subsequently under other schemes,” she said, adding that 53.02 acres of land located adjacent to the proposed raw water source in Bilga village had already been purchased for the setting up of a WTP.

The WB and AIIB had approved $105 million dollar each in support for the project in March 2021.

In March of last year, the WB and AIIB had approved their respective 35 per cent aid shares of $105-million dollar each for Punjab Municipal Services Improvement Project (PMSIP) to strengthen urban services in Ludhiana and Amritsar, the two largest cities in Punjab. The remaining 30 per cent share, which amounts to $90-million, will be borne by the state government.

The overall scheme would be executed at a cost of Rs 3,394.45-crore, Phase I works would cost Rs 1,252.51-crore, while Phase II projects would be undertaken at a cost of Rs 2,141.94 crore. Furthermore, Rs 700 crore would be spent for 10 years of operation and maintenance of the project.

Contaminated water to be replaced

Presently, Ludhiana and Amritsar draw their water by pumping out groundwater from hundreds of bore-wells dug up across the two cities. Pumping groundwater directly from these bore-wells leads to significant water loss and wastage as households are not incentivised to save water. Studies have also revealed that Ludhiana’s groundwater was contaminated with nitrates and other heavy metals while Amritsar district’s with arsenic.

Future plan

The project will shift water supply from rapidly depleting and highly contaminated groundwater sources, to a centralised treatment plant drawing water from local canals (surface water sources). This shift is likely to have significant health benefits, studies have shown.

The improvements in the water supply will benefit more than 3 million people in 2025 and an estimated 5 million in 2055. Industrial and commercial users would also benefit from the good quality reliable water supply.

Project to benefit 3 million people

A major focus of the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Improvement Project (PMSIP) will be on providing efficient water supply and sanitation services in Ludhiana and Amritsar. The improvements in the water supply will benefit more than 3 million people in 2025 and an estimated 5 million in 2055. Industrial and commercial users would also benefit from the good quality reliable water supply.

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