Like Mohali, Chandimandir cantonment also lacks infra to draw additional water
Just like Mohali, the cantonment of the Indian Army’s Western Command in Chandimandir will also not get its share of additional water from the recently inaugurated Phases 5, 6 of Kajauli waterworks anytime soon. Reason: They don’t have sufficient infrastructure to draw the 3 million gallons daily (MGD) share from the new pipeline that was laid with investment of ₹200 crore between Rupnagar and Chandigarh to bring 40 MGD of canal water from the Bhakra main line.
Just like Mohali, the cantonment of the Indian Army’s Western Command in Chandimandir will also not get its share of additional water from the recently inaugurated Phases 5, 6 of Kajauli waterworks anytime soon.
Reason: They don’t have sufficient infrastructure to draw the 3 million gallons daily (MGD) share from the new pipeline that was laid with investment of ₹200 crore between Rupnagar and Chandigarh to bring 40 MGD of canal water from the Bhakra main line.
Presently, the cantonment gets 6 MGD from the first four phases of Kajauli waterworks. Their share has increased to 9 MGD with the opening of Phase 5, 6,s but usage remains the same. On the contrary, Chandigarh and Panchkula have sufficient infrastructure to draw their due share from the new pipeline.
₹40 CR REQUIRED
The Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) had recently submitted a proposal to the army command to lay a new pipeline from Chandigarh to the cantonment at a cost of ₹40 crore. “Once their new pipeline comes up, we will release the additional 3 MGD supply to them,” said a senior MC engineer.
Sanjeev Jain, chief engineer, Western Command, said the proposal has been submitted to the ministry of defence. “Once the sanction is received, the work will begin,” he said.
REPAIRS LIKELY TO COMPLETE TODAY
The supply is currently suspended from new phases of Kajauli waterworks after snag hit a portion of its 40km long line near Morinda on October 2.
Utilising its share, the MC had commenced two hours of additional water supply in Chandigarh a day after the project’s inauguration on September 28. It has remained halted ever since the new fault had occurred.
An MC engineer said that the repair work is underway and will be finished by Sunday.
The engineering branch of the Ambala division of Northern Railways is carrying out the work as the fault has developed in the pipeline stretch commissioned by them.
