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4 years on, Mohali’s tertiary water plan still stuck on paper
Despite repeated discussions between the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and the Municipal Corporation (MC), the city is yet to establish an operational system to supply non-potable water, continuing its heavy reliance on groundwater for horticulture and flushing.
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Four years after it was proposed, Mohali’s plan to use treated wastewater for parks and green belts remains grounded, stalled by incomplete pipelines and poor coordination between development bodies.
Despite repeated discussions between the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and the Municipal Corporation (MC), the city is yet to establish an operational system to supply non-potable water, continuing its heavy reliance on groundwater for horticulture and flushing.
The city has no shortage of treatment infrastructure on paper. Mohali operates major sewage treatment facilities, including a 15 MGD plant in Sector 83 along with plants in Aerocity and Eco City. However, because the secondary distribution network was never completed, thousands of gallons of treated wastewater are routinely discharged into open drains instead of being routed for reuse.
Jurisdictional overlap has compounded the delay. While GMADA officially handed over routine water supply and municipal maintenance in major sectors to the MC, the development authority continues to execute trunk capital works. This split has left accountability blurred regarding who will operate and maintain the tertiary line once it is operational.
In a bid to salvage part of the stalled network, GMADA has floated a ₹40.24-lakh tender to repair and joint a cross-connection between polypropylene random copolymer (PPR) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipelines in Eco City-1, New Chandigarh. The project, aimed at meeting Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) norms, carries an earnest money deposit of ₹81,000 and a four-month completion deadline. Bids close at 11am on October 12.
To clear broader execution bottlenecks, a senior GMADA official is scheduled to meet the municipal commissioner on Monday to define operational roles and work out the supply connection to the Sector 83 STP.
“Several tertiary-water lines have been laid across the city, but they remain non-functional,” said Ravinder Garg, junior engineer, GMADA. “Some connections are in place, while others are incomplete. Water can be routed to parks only after these gaps are fixed.”
In 2023, GMADA announced plans to supply tertiary-treated water for irrigation and vehicle washing. Over a year past the deadline, basic pipeline repairs are still pending.
Residents’ groups have criticised the delay, pointing to neighbouring Chandigarh’s functional tertiary network, which has been operational since 1991.
“GMADA is responsible for urban development, yet Mohali struggles with basic sanitation and sewage infrastructure,” said KK Saini, president of the Confederation of Greater Mohali Residents’ Welfare Associations. “We should at least replicate Chandigarh’s model. Commissioning tertiary supply is critical to save fresh water, but it must be done with proper planning. Digging up roads without reliable supply will only make this another failed project.”
