Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 19: The prestigious Rs 70 crore artificial lake project on river Tawi in the winter capital city here will be commissioned by July 2013, while all the civil works are expected to be completed about four months ahead of the deadline.
While all the eleven gated-structures along Waddi Tawi (Bhagwati Nagar side) of the river have been completed, out of the total 20 such gated structures on Waddi Tawi (Beli Charana side), seven are ready while work on the remaining structures is going on day and night basis. While the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control (J&K) is monitoring the entire work on the project, the construction of auto-mechanically operated gated-barrage having length of 370 mts and height of 4 mts with sluice gates across river Tawi, one kilometer down stream of the main Tawi bridge with RCC base, spill way, gang way, guide bunds etc for creation of pondage up to Gujjar Nagar bridge, is being executed by Hyderabad based M/S GVR Infra Project Limited company.
Chief Engineer, I&FC, K K Gupta associated with the project told the Excelsior that all the eleven gated structures on Waddi Tawi side, having total length of barrage nearly 130 mts, have been completed. The process of mechanical works which include, fitting of gates and its operation system with pulleys etc has been started on that side. The gates are being fabricated at the site and they will be operated upon manually as well as automatically. Over 90-95 % civil works on this side stood completed while on Nikki Tawi side, about 35-40 % work has been executed. He said for several months physical progress could not be witnessed to the general public as men and machines were working about 40 feet down the river bed to dig and raise concrete structures. Now, structures are also visible on the ground, he added.
Replying to a question Mr Gupta disclosed that length of barrage on the Nikki Tawi side is more, about 240 mts. It is only due to change of course by the river from decades. There will be twenty such gates with dimensions of 10 mts width and 4 mts height each. Eight gated structures have been completed, fifty percent work on five others is over while base structures up to river bed on four others have been raised. Total length of barrage/ lake will be 1540 mts, up to Gujjar Nagar bridge while the pondage of nearly 0.0011 Million Acre Feet (MAF) water will be created. In case of flood, all the gates will be opened and it will take three and half days to again create pondage up to 4 mts height, Mr Gupta maintained.
Referring to the expenditure, the Chief Engineer said that this Rs 70 crore project is coming up with Rs 25 crore Central assistance, Rs 25 crore is awarded by the 13th Finance Commission while rest, Rs 20 crore have been arranged from the State Planning Department. The work was started on July 22, 2010 on the project and till date, funds to the tune of Rs 30 crore have been spent on it out of the total Rs 38.80 crore received so far. But the physical achievement is more as compared to the funds utilized, Mr Gupta maintained.
When asked that some big drains/nallahs of the city are still directly pouring into the river and they may create pollution in the lake in future, the Chief Engineer said, “ We have requested the UEED and the Housing and Urban Development Department to divert these `nallahas’ to the proposed sewerage plant near Bhagwati Nagar. The UEED authorities have assured us to complete this task before the commissioning of the artificial lake. The entire team of I&FC headed by Executive Engineer, K K Mangotra is taking pains to supervise this work on day night basis and the minister concerned is also closely monitoring the progress. In the middle, a unique `Island Park’ of nearly 500 mts width is being created. The site is being leveled. State Tourism department will create a beautiful park to attract tourists and other city people to this spot. The lake will also cause impact on the surrounding temperature during summers,” Mr Gupta added.
Minister for PHE, I&FC Taj Mohi-ud-Din when contacted said that this project will not violate the Indus Water Treaty. Earlier, Pakistan raised some objections but after their team visited and site and studied project, they were satisfied.“ We have stored only that much of water which is allowed as per the Treaty between the two countries. Moreover, it is the project under run of the river water scheme. Pondage will be created with in three and half days and water will continue to flow down to Pakistan. The level of water will be maintained continuously,” he maintained.
Replying to another question, Mr Taj said there was no dearth of funds for this prestigious project. All the precautions are being taken to protect the 4th bridge on river Tawi which is hardly 50 mts down ward the concrete structure (bund). Entire riverbed base near 4th bridge about 30 mts in width, has been made concrete and a slanted structure on the river bed near bridge (upward side) has been raised so as to slow down the flow of flood water and weaken the currents so as to protect the base and pillars of bridge. He said sluice gates will be used to allow discharge of dirty water and flush out silt etc and in case of rains and flood, all the gates will be opened.
Mr Taj disclosed that nearly 100 kanal land for parks on the lake sides, nearly 150 kanals for another park in the middle (Island) and nearly 80 kanal for a stadium has been reclaimed and identified. Island park will be developed by the State Tourism Department and Rs 5.5 crore stood sanctioned for the purpose. Total height of the concrete raised structures will be 13 mts from river bed level and on gates and concrete structures, there will be 5 ft wide Pucca pathway which may lead to the island park. There may be another passage to this park from new bridge side. On left side of the river, the work on park has been started. Nearly 500 cusecs of Tawi water has already been diverted to the old canal to get own due share. It has enabled the Irrigation Department to carry water up to the tail end of the canals and has greatly helped the farmers of R S Pura and Bishnah tehsils, Mr Taj maintained.
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