Water crisis in Mandi to end soon: Himachal Deputy CM Agnihotri

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Friday inspected the main pipeline of the Uhl river-based drinking water supply scheme for Mandi town near Sakor village and directed officials to work out a permanent solution to stabilise the pipeline and ensure uninterrupted water supply to residents.

The Deputy Chief Minister said during the recent monsoon, landslides triggered by hill slopes collapsing had repeatedly damaged the 28-km-long main pipeline supplying water to Mandi city. To address the issue, a team of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi, was asked to assess the site. Based on their recommendations, work on realigning the pipeline is currently underway.

He said the landslide-prone stretch will be bypassed by laying a new 450-mm diameter gravity main pipeline of about 970 metres. This realignment will help restore stability to the water supply system, reduce frequent repair costs and ensure a reliable supply of drinking water.

Officials from the Jal Shakti Department explained that heavy landslides near Sakor village had damaged the pipeline multiple times this monsoon. Around a 300-metre stretch has become highly vulnerable, with part of the road also affected, making it difficult to maintain the pipeline. The Uhl water supply scheme provides about 16 MLD of water daily from Reagadi to Mandi, serving a population of over 50,000. Chief Engineer Upender Vaidya briefed the Deputy CM on the proposed work.