Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Sept 13: Two mega sewerage projects for the left out areas of twin capital cities of the State are in pipeline as the J&K Government has submitted Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) in this regard to the Union Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India.
The project reports for Jammu and Srinagar cities with indicative cost of Rs 3059.76 crores for both the schemes, have been submitted to Government of India for consideration and approval under Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), official sources informed the Excelsior.
The proposed schemes include laying of underground Sewerage pipe network in the left out areas in the outskirts of two capital cities, setting up intermediate pumping stations and sewerage treatment plants at different locations, sources added.
Pertinent to mention that old city of Jammu and Srinagar have already been covered under the sewerage schemes of Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Reconstruction Mission even as the executing agency NBCC has failed to complete the project in winter capital of the State till date. Scheduled to be completed in February 2010, the much talked about Jammu Sewerage Treatment Scheme has suffered a delay of more than five years as only 75 percent work has been completed so far because of paucity of funds.
To cover the left out areas like Gandhi Nagar, Sainik Colony, Nanak Nagar, Roopnagar, Bantalab Keran, Udheywala, Gadigarh, Kunjwani etc in outskirts of Jammu city as well as Pantha Chowk, Brari Numbal, Alluchibagh, Habba-Kadal, Airport area etc around Srinagar city, the Housing and Urban Development Department of J&K Government last month submitted Detailed Project Reports to the Government of India for its consideration and approval.
The schemes with indicative cost of Rs 1468 crores for Jammu city and Rs 1591.76 crores for Srinagar city, are proposed to be fully funded under Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) through Government of India.
As per the DPRs, prepared by Urban Environmental Engineering Department of J&K, though consultant ALP Engineering and Grant Thronton, both the capital cities have been divided into three parts for covering the areas under sewerage scheme. In Jammu, the already covered area of Old City through NBCC and ERA has been categorized under `A’ while the localities from Janipur to Keran, Bohri, Udhaywala, Gadhigarh, By Pass road adjoining areas such as Greater Kailash, Sainik Colony, Gandhi Nagar, Nanak Nagar and Kunjwani etc upto Purmandal Morh fall under `B’ and `C’. Similarly, the already covered area of old city in Srinagar has been categorized under group I while the localities proposed to be covered under new sewerage scheme fall under group II and III, sources explained.
Sites proposed for setting up Sewerage Treatment Plants in Jammu are Udheywala, Gadhigarh and Balole near Purmandal Morh while in Srinagar, the proposed sites for STPs are Brari Numbal, Alluchibagh, Maloora and Shivpura, sources added.
Thirty years is the design period of these proposed projects, which comprise Trunk Sewerage Line and Lateral Sewerage Line connected with household connections for disposal of entire sludge, bath room waste etc to maintain proper sanitation of these area.
When contacted, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who holds the portfolio of Housing and Urban Development Ministry, confirmed that the project reports on these two mega sewerage schemes have been submitted to the Government of India for consideration and approval. “Including these two, we have submitted 14 Solid Waste Management projects to the Government of India and the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Venkaiah Naidu has principally agreed to approve the same,” he disclosed and added that the pending work on Sewerage project of the Old City, which was delaying because of different reasons, was also being speeded up for its early completion.
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