IIT-Roorkee begins survey to revive Faridabad lake

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, October 3

A six-member team from IIT-Roorkee has begun the geo-technical survey of the dried-up Badkhal Lake here. This is part of the revival process of the lake undertaken under the Smart City project.

The natural water body spread over 42 acres in the foothills of Aravalli hills went dry almost 20 years ago. The team led by Hari Prasad, a professor in the department of civil engineering, IIT-Roorkee, arrived here on Tuesday and conducted a tour of the lake.

Arvind Kumar, Executive Engineer, Smart City project, Faridabad, said: “The team’s objective is to know the permeability (water absorption quality) of the lake bed. The report is expected within a week. The team will suggest ways to refill the lake.”

The team will conduct the investigation by digging up trial pits up to three-metre depth at 10 locations in the lake and collect soil samples.

“A seismic reflection survey will also be carried out to obtain the sub-soil stratification of the lake bed,” Kumar said.

Badkhal MLA Seema Trikha is confident about the success of the project. “The previous Congress government had ignored the revival of the lake. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had given a green signal to the project on April 13,” she said.

A budget of Rs79 crore has been earmarked for it under the Smart city project. A sewage-treatment plant (STP) will be built near the lake to ensure supply of treated water to the lake on a permanent basis. “The lake will re-emerge as a tourist destination by mid-2020,” the MLA added.