24/7 canal-based water supply project: World Bank team green lights floating tender after Ludhiana MC House’s approval

During the visit of World Bank team, discussions were also held to form a water utility company (special purpose vehicle)— Ludhiana Urban Water and Waste Water Management Limited— for monitoring the works and billings of the water supply project

In a good news for residents, a team of World Bank (WB) officials— led by Srinivasa Rao— on a visit to the city on Wednesday gave a go ahead for floating tender under the first phase of 24/7 surface (canal-based) water supply project subject to the approval of municipal corporation’s (MC) General House.

The World Bank team during a meeting over 24/7 water supply project with MC officials at the MC’s Zone-D office in Ludhiana. (Harvinder Singh/HT)

Under the project, water meters will be installed in all properties in the city.

During the visit of WB team, discussions were also held to form a water utility company (special purpose vehicle)— Ludhiana Urban Water and Waste Water Management Limited— for monitoring the works and billings of the project.

The team firstly conducted a meeting with MC officials at Zone-D office of MC and then gave a presentation to a group of councillors at Lodhi club. Apart from MC commissioner Shena Aggarwal, additional commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, senior deputy mayor Sham Sundar Malhotra, deputy mayor Sarvjit Kaur, leader of opposition Jaspal Giaspura, AAP councillor Rakesh Prashar were present in the meeting.

One of the officials, requesting anonymity, said, “ Water metering has to be implemented under the project and political will is required for the same. As the project has to be tabled before the MC House before floating tender, the aim of the meeting conducted with the councillors was also to ask for their cooperation in implementing water metering in the city. Councillors from all the political parties were invited to the meeting.”

Water utility company to be formed

The MC commissioner said the water utility company would be formed with mayor as its chairperson and MC commissioner as managing directors. Councillors and other MC officials would be appointed as directors. “This company will look after the maintenance of the project and water billings. The water-sewer charges will be fixed by the MC House only. The request for proposal (RFP) of the project will be tabled in the next General House meeting and tender will be floated after getting approval from the house,” she informed.

Additional commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal said a demo zone also has to be established in the city before implementing the project at large. Under this, around 22,000 houses have already been elected by MC where water metering would be implemented, but this would be implemented after getting approval from the MC House during the next house meeting, he added.

A ₹3,200-crore project

The total cost of project is around ₹3,200-crore, of which the first phase accounts for ₹1,422-crore. Under the first phase, a 580 million litres per day (MLD) water treatment plant will be established in Bilga village to treat surface water and 165-km-long water supply line will be laid alongside the Sidhwan canal for supplying water from the plant to the overhead water reservoirs in the city.

Around 54 acres of land has already been acquired by the MC in Bilga village . A total of 139 overhead water reservoirs will be required to store the water. The officials said 77 reservoirs were already there in different parts of the city and remaining would be established under the project. As per the officials, it will take around three years to complete the first phase after the project will commence at ground level.

In the second phase, the distribution line and water supply will be laid across the city to ensure 24/7 canal-based water supply in the city.