Artificial lake to get new lease of life as work on Tawi barrage project being re-started by May end

Jammu city’s prestigious artificial lake project is expected to get a new lease of life soon as the UT administration is planning to re-start the stalled work on gated Tawi Barrage Project by the end of this month.

If all goes as planned, the gated Tawi Barrage project would be completed within nine months from the date of allotment of tender to pave way for the start of work on other components of artificial lake, including river bank protection, development of Tawi river front on the pattern of Sabarmati, implementation of flood control action plan and diversion of nallahs (big drains entering Tawi).

The construction of barrage was one of the components of an ambitious artificial lake project. It was aimed at creating pondage for the creation of artificial lake.

“We floated tenders for the project twice for balance work after incorporating suggestions made by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee but the process has not reached the logical conclusion till date due to technical eligibility of bidders and higher rates quoted by them. We are in the process of issuing fresh tenders and completing the process in the next two months. If all goes well, work on the barrage project will be started by the end of this month,” Hamesh Manchanda, Chief Engineer, Department of Irrigation and Flood Control, Jammu told The News Now.

The Chief Engineer said the UT administration has kept the project on its priority and work would be completed in a fast-track manner.

“Some components of the Smart City Mission have also been incorporated in this project. The IIT Roorkee has suggested some restructuring in the project which is being done,” Manchanda said.

Pertinently, work on the construction of a gated barrage on the lake was launched in 2010 and it was scheduled to be completed in 2013. The then state government had spent Rs.58 crore out of the total Rs.70 crore sanctioned amount. The Hyderabad-based M/s GVR Infra Project Ltd, which was entrusted with the task of executing the barrage project, had abandoned work in February 2018 following a financial crunch.

In October last year, the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had approved the revised project for construction of balance works of Tawi Barrage at an estimated cost of Rs.73.34 crore. It was decided that the revised project would be completed within 10 months of allotment through e-tendering at an estimated cost of Rs.131.53 crore which includes the additional grant of Rs.73.34 crore and already incurred expenditure of Rs.58.19 crore.

Sources said the IIT Roorkee has suggested increasing the height of the barrage by three feet as the earlier height was decided keeping in view the flood-level of previous years.

On completion, the project has the potential of promoting water recreation and sporting facilities, besides boosting commercial activities around the artificial lake. It will, in turn, create employment opportunities for locals and attract tourists to Jammu city.