Punjab To Build 358 Underground Water Tanks
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved a major infrastructure project aimed at improving rainwater drainage and restoring groundwater levels across the province. The initiative involves the construction of 358 underground water storage tanks, marking what officials described as the first large-scale project of its kind in Punjab.
The approval was granted during a special video-link meeting chaired by the chief minister to review the Punjab Development Programme, clean water initiatives, and the Model Village Project. During the meeting, officials also presented a pictorial briefing on the progress of various development schemes underway in different parts of the province.
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According to the plan, 34 large underground storage tanks will be constructed in urban areas to ensure the smooth and timely drainage of rainwater. In addition, 324 roadside tanks will be built to help remove water that accumulates on streets during rainfall.
Authorities said that recharge wells will be installed alongside these tanks to help replenish groundwater reserves. The stored water will be treated through water treatment plants and later used for irrigation purposes. As part of the broader plan to improve water management, the government will also establish 328 wastewater treatment plants across Punjab.
Officials briefed the meeting that major development work is also being carried out under the Punjab Development Programme. This includes paving 6,100 kilometres of streets, laying 3,498 kilometres of sewerage lines, installing 14,679 streetlights, and placing nearly 33 million square feet of tuff tiles on streets and pathways.
To enhance drainage and municipal services, the provincial government will deploy 526 modern machines and tractors in different areas. Meanwhile, a new factory has been set up in Lahore to manufacture sewerage pipelines with a lifespan of up to 100 years. The facility is expected to begin production soon.
Development projects under the Punjab Development Programme have already started in several districts including Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan, Gujrat, Okara, Jhang, Multan, and Sialkot. Officials said projects in other districts such as Jhelum, Hafizabad, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, and Rawalpindi will begin shortly.
The meeting was also informed about progress under the Punjab Rural Sanitation Improvement Programme, which focuses on strengthening drainage systems in rural areas. As part of the Model Village Project, the government plans to spend Rs59 billion on development work in 485 villages, with construction already underway in 200 villages.
Under this initiative, wastewater ponds will be cleaned, treatment plants installed, and treated water will be supplied for irrigation purposes in rural areas.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed authorities to ensure that filtration plants installed for providing clean drinking water remain fully operational. She also instructed officials to prioritise paving streets in villages and to complete drainage projects before the onset of the monsoon season. Special attention, she said, should be given to the districts of Gujrat and Sialkot.
Maryam Nawaz said the scale of development currently underway in Punjab is unprecedented, adding that such extensive work has not been seen in the province over the past 70 to 80 years. She expressed confidence that within the next five years, Punjab will emerge as a modern, transformed, and more beautiful province.
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