The ambitious multi-crore sewage treatment plant (STP) underground project was started in 2007-08 under the now scrapped Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
The project has already cost agencies more than Rs 250 crore.
Three STPs of 30 million litres per day (MLD), 27 MLD and 10 MLD were constructed on the banks of the Tawi to treat the waste water before its influx into the river.
Two units of 30 MLD and 10 MLD have been made operational, which treat only 15 MLD, as of yet, because individual households have not been connected completely.
Started a decade ago, one of the biggest sewage treatment plants (STP) in J&K still remains underutilised as the executing agencies have failed to connect individual households with the main sewer system.
More than Rs 250 crore has been spent so far. The project was to be completed in 2011 and since then it has missed several deadlines.
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Different agencies have been allotted different areas of Jammu city to link with the STP. They are:
- National Building Construction Corporation:Area from Jewel Chowk to Peerkho (old city), with 30,400 households, to be connected with 27 million litres per day (MLD) sewage plant. Still in progress
- Urban Environmental Engineering Department:Talab Tillo and its adjoining areas to be connected with 10 MLD plant. Total 5,704 house connections. Underground works completed but houses still not fully connected
- Economic Reconstruction Agency: 30 MLD sewage plant to connect households in the Janipur, Bhawani Nagar, Bakshi Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Paloura areas. Still in progressSadly, even after a decade of its launch, Jammu sewage treatment plant remains under utilised. Executing agencies have failed to connect households with the main sewer system thus failing the objective of the project miserably.
The project was to be completed in 2011 and since then it has missed several deadlines.
The ambitious multi-crore underground project was started in 2007-08 under the now scrapped Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
“The problems arose when some of the contractors engaged in laying trunk and lateral sewer lines didn’t complete the work according to the blueprint. At times, they used substandard material, which led to the collapse of underground infrastructure at several places. It further delayed the work,”
-say officials of the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA).
Blame is also laid on the executing agencies- National Building Construction Corporation, Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) and ERA; which they say have been slow in linking the households with the underground sewer system, leaving a huge infrastructure under utilised.