SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government is adding 10.5 million gallons per day (MGD) of water-treatment capacity through two new plants at Rangil and Alusteng to strengthen Srinagar’s water supply, particularly in the Central Shalteng area where localised shortages have been reported.
The Housing and Urban Development Department said the two Rapid Sand Filtration Plants, with capacities of 5 MGD at Rangil and 5.5 MGD at Alusteng, are being constructed under UT Capex and are scheduled for completion by March 2027.
The Rangil plant has achieved 78 per cent physical progress, while the Alusteng plant is 68 per cent complete, according to the project-wise status submitted to the Legislative Assembly. The Rangil project has a sanctioned project cost of Rs 6.99 crore, against an allotted cost of Rs 6.83 crore, while the Alusteng plant has a project cost of Rs 7.27 crore and an allotted cost of Rs 7.24 crore.
The department gave the details in response to an Un-Starred Assembly Question by Central Shalteng MLA Tariq Hamed Karra on inadequate water supply.
The government rejected the premise that the Rangil, Sukhnag and Doodhganga Water Supply Schemes were originally meant exclusively for Srinagar-bound areas and were subsequently extended elsewhere, resulting in inadequate supply to Central Shalteng.
It said the Srinagar water supply system consists of multiple source-based schemes and service zones catering to designated areas and operates as an integrated network based on source availability, treatment capacity, transmission constraints and overall demand.
However, the department acknowledged that localised deficiencies can occur because existing transmission and distribution infrastructure has limitations compared with current demand.
It said augmentation of treatment capacity, strengthening or replacement of critical trunk infrastructure and improvements to transmission and distribution networks are being pursued to address such deficiencies and improve the adequacy, reliability and equitable distribution of water.
Multiple projects proposed
Among the major proposed works is a Rs 161.19-crore raw-water main from Preng to Rangil, which has been submitted under UT Capex.
A proposal worth Rs 61.74 crore has been submitted under SASCI for replacing cement-concrete trunk mains with ductile iron K9 pipelines from Rangil to Avantabhavan. Another Rs 41.50-crore proposal covers replacement of the 1,200-mm cement-concrete/150-mm cast-iron trunk main from Avantabhavan to Qamarwari.
The government has also proposed a Rs 13.70-crore augmentation of the Sukhnag Water Supply Scheme involving intake works, an intake main, a gaseous chlorination plant and allied works.
Another Rs 2.87 crore has been proposed for upgrading and extending sub-mains and the distribution network under the Sukhnag and Rangil Water Supply Schemes.
A Rs 5-crore hydraulic modelling project for network analysis of Srinagar City’s water trunk and supply pipelines has also been submitted under SASCI/UT Capex.
Additional infrastructure under AMRUT 2.0
The Sukhnag-based system is also being strengthened through three 50,000-gallon overhead reservoirs at Nund Reshi Colony in Bemina, HMT Zainakote and Lawaypora under AMRUT 2.0.
The Bemina reservoir has an estimated cost of Rs 1.27 crore, the HMT Zainakote reservoir Rs 1.58 crore and the Lawaypora reservoir Rs 1.57 crore.
An additional Rs 0.36 crore is earmarked under District Capex for improvement and extension of the distribution network at identified locations.
The works are intended to benefit areas including Bemina, HMT, Lawaypora, Zainakote, Tengpora, Moominabad and Shalteng.
The existing Rangil system has 20 MGD and 10 MGD water treatment plants. The additional 5 MGD plant is expected to strengthen supplies to Srinagar Zone-I, including Qamarwari, Parimpura, Tengpora and Batamaloo.
The department said the new treatment capacity would be complemented by rationalisation of available water and improvements to the existing distribution network.
It also said regular upgrading and augmentation of existing treatment plants would continue as required to maintain the efficiency of the water-supply system.
Within the Water Supply Master Plan Division, further strengthening of the bulk water network is being pursued, including replacement of ageing trunk mains, improvement of raw-water conveyance and distribution works at identified locations in affected areas of Srinagar.
