Four years after it was proposed, Mohali’s plan to use treated wastewater for parks and green belts remains grounded, stalled by incomplete pipelines and poor coordination between development bodies.
In 2023, GMADA announced plans to supply tertiary-treated water for irrigation and vehicle washing. Jurisdictional overlap has compounded the delay. the development authority continues to execute trunk capital works While GMADA officially handed over routine water supply and municipal maintenance in major sectors to the MC. This split has left accountability blurred regarding who will operate and maintain the tertiary line once it is operational. “Some connections are in place, while others are incomplete. Water can be routed to parks only after these gaps are fixed. Over a year past the deadline, basic pipeline repairs are still pending. “We should at least replicate Chandigarh’s model. Commissioning tertiary supply is critical to save fresh water, but it must be done with proper planning. Digging up roads without reliable supply will only make this another failed project.”
“Several tertiary-water lines have been laid across the city, but they remain non-functional,” said Ravinder Garg, junior engineer, GMADA. “GMADA is responsible for urban development, yet Mohali struggles with basic sanitation and sewage infrastructure,” said KK Saini, president of the Confederation of Greater Mohali Residents’ Welfare Associations.
