PEC to vet ₹27cr Kajauli water works upgrade as MC ropes in 3rd party auditor

Chandigarh: To ensure that the upgradation of the Kajauli water works meets prescribed technical standards and quality benchmarks, the municipal corporation (MC), Chandigarh, has appointed Punjab Engineering College (PEC) as the third-party quality assurance agency for the project.Kajauli water works, considered the lifeline of Chandigarh’s water supply system, draws water from the Bhakra Main Line (BML) canal and supplies it to Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula and Chandimandir under a shared distribution arrangement.The upgradation project involves replacement of key ageing infrastructure, including intake pipes drawing water from the canal, pressure pipes, pumping machinery, pipe headers and water flow meters.

The installation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and an online monitoring system also forms part of the works.“Since the entire city gets water supply through the Kajauli water works, located over 35km from Chandigarh, the existing machinery is three to four decades old,” an official said.The MC will pay PEC a consultancy fee of Rs 10.85 lakh, plus GST, for undertaking independent quality checks and submitting reports on the execution of the project.

Officials said payments and financial clearances to the executing agency would be linked to PEC’s verification and certification of completed works.In a communication issued to PEC, the MC stated that the civic body’s commissioner had approved the engagement of Punjab Engineering College as the Third-Party Quality Assurance (TPQA) agency for the “Upgradation of Kajauli Water Works and Rehabilitation of Rising Main” project.