Nurmahal Sewerage project 14 years behind schedule, yet to be completed

The sewerage project in Nurmahal, which costs Rs 24.4 crore, is 14 years behind schedule, far exceeding its original nine-month timeline.

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Despite being initiated by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) in 2011, the project remains unfinished, leaving the town without an operational sewerage system.

The sewerage project, which was to lay down main pipelines spanning several kilometres and branch lines covering 31 kilometres, was envisioned to streamline sewage drainage for the entire town.

The foundation for the project was laid by then-Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on February 11, 2011. However, due to delays and slow progress, it has yet to be fully commissioned, with work still ongoing at a sluggish pace.

The delay has raised concerns, prompting the Vidhan Sabha’s Estimate Committee to form a sub-committee for a joint survey of Nurmahal’s sewerage system and the operational status of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). The sub-committee conducted a survey, and the resulting report was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Jalandhar for review.

The Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar has since reviewed the draft report, which outlined that an additional Rs 5.22 crore would be needed to complete the treatment plant and other allied works necessary for the project’s finalisation.

Despite the urgency, GLADA’s Junior Engineer, Anmol Chopra, stated that the sub-committee’s report is still pending with the government. Chopra added that the completion of the sewerage system hinges on the release of funds. Once the necessary funds are allocated, work on the project will proceed, with hopes of bringing the long-delayed scheme to completion.

The community, which has been waiting for over a decade, remains hopeful that the project will finally be finished, alleviating long-standing sewage and sanitation issues in Nurmahal.