LAHORE: For improving sewerage infrastructure in the provincial capital, the Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) Lahore has framed a number of proposals at a rough estimate cost of Rs 54.34532 billion.
In a recent study, ‘Critique Monsoon 2020’, prepared by the WASA, it was observed that with the passage of time, the sewerage system laid in the 1950s in central Lahore has outlived its useful life and became incapacitated to withstand increased sewage sprawls.
Hence, keeping in view of the growing population, increasing commercialisation activities and expansion of the city, the WASA proposed major improvements in eight areas of Lahore that will by and large cover the entire city. “This will cater stormwater flows, particularly faced by the WASA during the rainy season,” the report says.
As per the report, the sewerage improvement plans has been proposed for Ferozepur Road areas at a tentative cost Rs 16.49450 billion, Shahdara Rs 4.31474 billion, Allama Iqbal Town Rs 6.88370 billion, Gulberg area Rs 8.93923 billion, Garden Town and Faisal Town Rs 5.973.57 billion and North East Lahore Rs 6.0335 billion.
Moreover, the WASA also proposes to improve the sewerage system on the Lahore Branch Canal (LBC) from Jinnah Hospital to Thokar Niaz Baig and Thokar Niaz Baig to Kattar Bund at a rough estimate cost of Rs 3.00680 billion.
For areas located along LBC from Doctor’s Colony to Bahria Town, the sewerage improvement plans will roughly Rs 2.69928 billion.
As part of the improvement plan, new sewerage disposal stations with the capacity ranging between 200 and 1400 cubic feet per second (CFS) will be set up while the existing ones will be upgraded.
Giving reasons for a major overhaul of the existing sewerage system, the report observed that as a result of transmigration and socio-economic development (both horizontal and vertical) in the southern periphery of the city, the situation has become more cumbersome due to the absence of trunk sewerage infrastructure.
“On the other hand, the situation is not much different in north-east Lahore and Shahdara Town where the population has reached the saturation level and abrupt/uneven development in past decades is posing an extra burden on the sewerage system of
the respective areas,” it added.
These proposals are part of the ‘Master Plan for Water Supply Sewerage Drainage of District Lahore (2018-2040)’, which the Wasa has already prepared keeping in view the planning horizons of 2040.
While talking to Business Recorder here on Saturday, the Wasa Vice Chairman said that these plans aim to resolve the city’s sewerage problems on permanent basis and also serve as a solution for effective draining of rainwater during the monsoons and rainy seasons and thus ending ponding of water in the city.
“These solutions have been sent to the relevant department for the inclusion in the next Annual Development Programme (ADP),” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021