Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, May 9 

Authorities in Indian Kashmir on Saturday reviewed the progress of major drinking water infrastructure projects in Srinagar aimed at improving water quality and supply under the federal AMRUT 2.0 urban renewal programme, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar Akshay Labroo inspected the ongoing construction of a 7 million gallons per day (MGD) Activated Carbon Chamber at the Nishat Water Treatment Plant, along with a separate water supply scheme at Ishbar Nishat intended to address shortages in tail-end areas of the city.

Officials said the Activated Carbon Chamber project, being built at a cost of Rs 36.6 million, is expected to be completed by December 2026.

The facility is designed to function as a tertiary-stage treatment unit using Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) technology to improve the quality of drinking water by removing odour, colour, taste-causing compounds and organic impurities.

Labroo said the project would strengthen Srinagar’s water treatment infrastructure and help address seasonal fluctuations in raw water quality.

“Once operational, the Activated Carbon Chamber will ensure consistent water quality throughout different seasons,” he said during the inspection.

Officials said the Nishat treatment system caters to an estimated population of more than 650,000 residents and primarily draws water from Dachigam stream, with Dal Lake and other canals serving as supplementary sources.

The DC also reviewed the 0.1 MGD water supply scheme at Ishbar Nishat, being executed at a cost of 11.3 million rupees under the same programme.

The project includes the upgrading of an existing slow sand filtration plant, installation of a rapid sand filtration unit and renovation of a service reservoir to improve water supply in residential areas including Saado Colony, Dewaan Colony and Lone Mohalla.

Officials said civil works under the project had been completed, while installation of electro-mechanical components was underway.

Labroo directed officials to complete the remaining work by May 25 to make the scheme operational at the earliest, officials said.