Subhash Mahajan
Dalhousie:
Water has reached the Ahla tank under Dalhousie’s much-awaited new drinking water scheme within the stipulated timeframe, and testing of the system is currently underway, officials said on Sunday.
Addressing a press conference at the Circuit House in Dalhousie, Superintending Engineer of the Himachal Pradesh Jal Shakti Department Rajesh Mongra said around Rs 65 crore had been spent on the new water supply scheme. He said the project was inspected by him nearly 20 days ago and, as planned, water was supplied to the Ahla tank on January 1, the primary tank from where water is distributed to Dalhousie town.
“The testing phase of the scheme has begun and is expected to take two to three months. This period is necessary to ensure smooth and uninterrupted water supply to residents,” Mongra said. He said that during the testing phase, the timing of water supply and the number of hours for which water will be provided in each ward of Dalhousie will be finalised.
The superintending engineer said the new scheme has significantly enhanced the town’s water storage capacity. “Earlier, Dalhousie had a storage capacity of about 24 to 25 lakh litres. With the new scheme, this has increased to nearly 70 lakh litres,” he said, adding that this expansion would effectively address the town’s long-standing water shortage issues.
Under the new project, several additional storage tanks have been constructed at different locations across the town, Mongra said, asserting that Dalhousie residents would now not face water scarcity.
Executive Engineer Davinder Rana, SDO Rajender Kumar and Junior Engineer Shishupal were also present at the press conference.
