Chandigarh 24X7 water supply: All set, approval of Centre awaited

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, March 1

Work on the ambitious pan-city 24X7 water supply project is now just awaiting the Centre’s approval.

“We recently visited Delhi. We have completed all formalities and have procured NOCs from various wings of the Centre. Only final approval from the government is awaited now,” said an official of Chandigarh Smart City Limited.

Officials said NOCs from all competent authorities, including ministries of finance, housing and environment, and other premier agencies such as the Niti Aayog had been obtained. Now, the Empowered Committee, comprising the Home Minister and the Finance Minister, is to give the final approval to the project. It is expected to take about one month. Following which, tender for the Rs590-crore project will be floated, said the officials.

Smart City is getting a Rs402-crore loan for the project from a French company. The loan will be repaid in 15 years with a six-year moratorium period in water bills by the residents.

Apart from this, the European Union (EU) will provide a grant of nearly Rs96 crore for the project.

An official said in addition to providing water round the clock, the project was aimed at improving the quality of water supply in terms of pressure. He said the entire water network would also be modernised and the latest devices installed with the launch of the project.

Earlier, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit had laid the foundation stone for the 24x7 water supply pilot project in Mani Majra in November last year. The project there would involve a new waterworks with 4 million gallons of additional storage, 13,700 smart meters, 20 km of new supply lines and automated monitoring of the system.

The Mani Majra project is being executed at a cost of Rs162 crore, including the cost of operation and maintenance for 15 years, and the work is expected to be completed by August 2023.

NOCs obtained

Officials said NOCs from all competent authorities, including ministries of finance, housing and environment, and other premier agencies such as the Niti Aayog had been obtained. Now, the Empowered Committee, comprising the Home Minister and the Finance Minister, is to give the final approval to the project.

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