Punjab to Install 358 Underground Water Tanks Across Province

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved a major development project to construct 358 underground water storage tanks across the province aimed at improving rainwater drainage and helping recharge groundwater levels.

The decision was made during a special video-link meeting chaired by the chief minister to review progress on the Punjab Development Programme, clean water initiatives, and the Model Village Project. Officials presented a pictorial briefing outlining ongoing development schemes.

Under the plan, 34 large underground tanks will be built in urban areas to facilitate timely drainage of rainwater. In addition, 324 roadside tanks will be constructed to remove water that accumulates on streets during rainfall.

Officials said that recharge wells installed alongside the tanks will help restore groundwater levels. The stored water will also be treated at water treatment plants and reused for irrigation. As part of the broader initiative, 328 wastewater treatment plants will be established across the province.

During the meeting, officials reported that development projects currently underway include paving 6,100 kilometers of streets, laying 3,498 kilometers of sewerage lines, installing 14,679 streetlights, and placing 33 million square feet of tuff tiles in streets and pathways.

To strengthen drainage and municipal services, authorities will deploy 526 modern machines and tractors. Officials also informed the meeting that a factory in Lahore producing sewerage pipelines with a lifespan of up to 100 years has been installed and is expected to begin production soon.

According to the briefing, development projects under the Punjab Development Programme have already begun in Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan, Gujrat, Okara, Jhang, Multan, and Sialkot. Work in Jhelum, Hafizabad, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, and Rawalpindi is expected to begin soon.

Under the Punjab Rural Sanitation Improvement Programme, drainage systems will also be developed in rural areas. Officials said Rs59 billion will be spent on 485 villages under the Model Village Project, with work already underway in 200 villages. Plans include cleaning wastewater ponds, installing treatment plants, and supplying treated water for irrigation.

During the meeting, Maryam Nawaz directed authorities to ensure the proper functioning of filtration plants to provide clean drinking water, prioritize the paving of village streets, and complete drainage projects before the monsoon season. She also instructed officials to give special attention to development work in Gujrat and Sialkot.

The chief minister said the scale of development work currently underway in Punjab had not been seen in the past seven to eight decades, expressing confidence that a modern and transformed province would emerge within the next five years.