New Gurugram is set to get a major boost to its water network with a new boosting station in Sector 72 scheduled to be commissioned next month, raising the city’s overall water supply capacity from around 720 million litres per day (MLD) to 770 MLD.
The facility, being constructed by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), will supply 95 MLD of water to Sectors 58 to 80. The development was reviewed at the 13th District Coordination Committee meeting chaired by D S Dhesi, Principal Advisor to the Haryana government for Urban Development, at the mini secretariat on Tuesday.
Supply load shift
GMDA Chief Engineer R S Jangra said the Sector 72 facility will take over the water supply load for Sectors 58 to 80 from the existing boosting station in Sector 51. The change is expected to strengthen distribution across a rapidly developing residential belt of the city.
Gurugram currently receives around 720 MLD of potable water from the water treatment plants at Chandu Budhera and Basai. Once the Sector 72 boosting station is commissioned, the city's supply capacity is expected to increase to 770 MLD.
GMDA has also awarded work for Unit 4 of the Basai Water Treatment Plant. The project is expected to further augment Gurugram's water treatment and supply capacity in the coming years.
Flooding plan
Officials also reviewed measures to tackle waterlogging and urban flooding, problems that have repeatedly affected Gurugram during heavy rainfall.
GMDA has engaged IIT Delhi and consultant Nippon Koei to prepare a comprehensive plan to address flooding-related issues. The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), meanwhile, has engaged IIT Gandhinagar for a similar assessment.
Dhesi stressed that the city should increasingly focus on long-term water management measures, including rainwater harvesting structures, injection wells, restoration of natural water bodies and creation of pondage areas.
Water bodies restored
MCG officials said 32 water bodies had already been developed and work was underway on another 21. The projects are intended to improve rainwater storage and groundwater recharge while reducing pressure on the city's drainage infrastructure.
GMDA is also developing five rainwater harvesting structures as part of a pilot initiative. Their performance will be monitored during the monsoon to assess their effectiveness before similar measures are considered elsewhere.
The authority is separately developing Wazirabad Lake as a water storage and groundwater recharge facility.
Pollution monitoring
The meeting also reviewed preparations for tackling winter air pollution. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) was directed to intensify preventive and enforcement measures before pollution levels begin rising during the winter months.
Web cameras and low-cost sensors have been made mandatory at pollution-emitting sites measuring more than 500 square metres across the district. The equipment will be connected directly to the offices of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Pollution Control Board, allowing authorities to monitor sites online.
Projects before curbs
Dhesi directed departments undertaking development projects to expedite ongoing work and complete as much as possible before pollution-related restrictions imposed by the CAQM come into effect.
Officials were also asked to ensure that pollution-control measures were implemented effectively on the ground and that coordination between agencies was strengthened ahead of the winter season.