Ahmedabad: Keeping in view the growing and future drinking water needs of western Ahmedabad, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) has approved an additional allocation of 467 million litres per day (MLD) of raw water to be supplied from the Narmada main canal.

At present, raw water for several distribution stations in Ahmedabad’s North West, South West and West zones including Chandkheda, Motera, Sabarmati, Ranip, Balolnagar (new ward) and the Naranpura–Nirnay Nagar areas is drawn through a head regulator located at chainage 210 metres on the Dholka branch canal. The water is treated at the Jaspur Water Purification Station, which currently supplies an average of 400 MLD of treated drinking water daily to the city’s western and central regions.

With rapid urban expansion, particularly along the Vaishnodevi Circle–SG Highway corridor and the Sardar Patel Ring Road, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is strengthening its water treatment infrastructure. Work is underway to set up an additional 200 MLD capacity treatment plant at Jaspur, which is expected to be completed soon. Once operational, the total capacity of the Jaspur plant will increase to 600 MLD.

In addition, plans are in place to construct a new 250 MLD water treatment plant by acquiring 56,361 square metres of government-owned land from the total 2,11,449 square metres of Revenue Survey No. 733 in Jaspur village of Kalol taluka in Gandhinagar district. With this expansion, the total treatment capacity at Jaspur will rise to 850 MLD.

According to AMC, maintenance work on the Dholka branch canal often results in reduced water levels, leading to shortages of raw water at the Jaspur facility. To ensure uninterrupted supply, SSNNL has proposed providing raw water directly from the Narmada main canal by constructing a new head regulator.

Ahmedabad’s water demand has been rising steadily due to institutional, commercial and industrial growth, along with increased migration and development linked to tourism and major international sporting events. Based on population projections from current levels in 2025 to an estimated 1.40 crore by 2040 SSNNL has approved the additional 467 MLD allocation at Jaspur as a special case to meet the city’s long-term drinking water requirements. DeshGujarat