Baramulla Water Supply: Installed Capacity at 29.71 MGD, Thousands Still Face Shortfall | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has stated that the total installed capacity of water treatment plants in Baramulla stands at 29.7155 million gallons per day (MGD), even as thousands of households in the district continue to face inadequate drinking water supply due to infrastructure gaps and incomplete schemes.

In a written reply to Starred Assembly Question raised by MLA Javid Hassan Baig, the Housing and Urban Development Department informed that under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), 23,298 households in Baramulla town and 1,29,664 households in rural areas have been provided Functional Tap Connections (FTCs).

However, the government acknowledged that around 21,000 households, largely in rural pockets, are either partially connected or continue to receive water through tanker services or low-service-level supply systems. Several areas, including Zithen, Waripora, Darina, Namblan, Sheeri, Mirgund, Chinnibal, Haftrehar, Yakmanpora, Gund Ibrahim, and Delina, remain either uncovered or inadequately served.

The shortfall has been attributed to multiple factors, including paucity of funds, delays in forest and land clearances, and limitations in existing infrastructure. In Baramulla town, despite the presence of multiple water supply schemes, residents continue to face intermittent supply due to inadequate infrastructure and power outages affecting pumping systems.

The government said that Baramulla currently relies primarily on the River Jhelum as its main water source, which is described as perennial with sufficient discharge. While existing infrastructure is maintained through annual maintenance and repair works, the supply remains inconsistent in several areas due to system limitations.

To address quality concerns, gas chlorination plants and rapid sand filtration units are being installed under ongoing works. Additionally, under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, infrastructure upgrades are in progress to improve service delivery in urban areas.

The department further disclosed that out of 229 rural water supply schemes under JJM and one scheme under AMRUT 2.0, 110 schemes have been completed so far, while 120 schemes are at various stages of execution. Their completion is subject to availability of funds.

On the issue of accountability, the government stated that there is no repeated failure of water supply schemes, attributing disruptions mainly to temporary factors such as power outages. It also clarified that there is currently no time-bound proposal under consideration for ensuring 24×7 drinking water supply in Baramulla town or the district.

The response comes amid continued complaints from residents over erratic water supply, highlighting the gap between installed capacity and actual service delivery on the ground.