More water from Kajauli a distant dream for Mohali

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 28

Additional drinking water for Mohali and Chandigarh seems to be a distant dream. Reason: The project of laying the Phase V and VI pipeline of the Kajauli waterworks is far from completion. Through this pipeline of 80 MGD capacity, 40 MGD of additional drinking water would be supplied in the first step.

Though the 23.5-km-long pipeline, barring a 175-metre stretch, has been laid, the crucial part of the project, a water treatment plant is yet to be constructed.

According to Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) officials, the process of purchasing land for the plant was in progress. “The payment for the land is yet to be made by us,” said the official. The required piece of land for construction of the plant is around 35 acre at Jandpur village in Kharar.

The work on laying the pipeline on a portion of 175 metre, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Railways, is yet to begin. Though GMADA has already made a payment of Rs 3.62 crore to the Railways, the latter was yet to initiate an action.

Even the UT Administration, which is responsible for laying a 7.5 km pipeline from the water treatment plant at Jandpur to the plant at Sector 39 in Chandigarh, had not started the work in this direction, added the GMADA official.

It is to be noted that the project in question has already missed several deadlines.

“It would take a minimum of two years for the project to complete if the works starts today,” admitted the official.

Mohali, which needs a minimum of 27 MGD of water during peak summers to cater to the population of more than 1.75 lakh, gets only 13 MGD water. While 10 MGD comes from Kajauli waterworks the remaining water is being drawn through tubewells.

Start of water supply through Phase 5 and 6 pipeline is the only ray of hope of Mohali residents to end the major gap of over 12 MGD water between current demand and supply of water to the town.