CSCL’s seamless water supply claims refuted by Manimajra residents
Officials claimed that the supply had stabilised to 16-18 hours per day, with plans for 24x7 coverage soon; however, this falls short of the project’s original promise of continuous water supply, as per residents, who say seamless supply remains unavailable
Ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to Chandigarh on Monday, Chandigarh Smart City Limited issued a press note claiming significant progress in resolving issues with the 24x7 water supply project in Manimajra, which was inaugurated by the minister four months ago.
However, the ground reality, as reported by residents, presents a different picture.
The project, part of the Smart City Mission, aimed to transform the water supply system in Manimajra from intermittent to continuous, ensuring reliable water service for both residents and businesses. Shah had inaugurated the project on August 4.
In its press release, Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) highlighted achievements such as the installation of 12,500 smart water meters, the use of Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) pumps to reduce energy consumption by 15% and the laying of 23 km of new pipelines since the project commenced in June 2021.
“Real-time monitoring of water use through smart meters has helped reduce losses and increase revenue,” it said.
Officials also claimed that the supply had stabilised to 16-18 hours per day, with plans for 24x7 coverage soon. However, this falls short of the project’s original promise of continuous water supply, as per residents, who say seamless supply remains unavailable.
Col Gursewak Singh (retd), president of the Modern Housing Complex in Manimajra, stated, “The system is not operational yet in our area and water is not available 24x7. We continue to face frequent pipe leaks. Despite raising the issue with the UT administrator, the problem persists.”
In stark contrast, CSCL noted in its statement that “customer feedback has been very positive, with residents appreciating the reliability of the continuous water supply and the convenience of using smart meters”.
