GUJRAT: The two new projects to protect the Gujrat city from flooding are facing delays with the work on the planned drainage system set to start in a week, whereas the tenders for the sewerage system along with disposal stations have been once again floated.

The projects were announced by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during her visit after the flooding in the city in September.

The Punjab government had approved Rs17 billion for the two projects in October as per the announcement of the CM.

However, official sources claimed that procedural hitches had caused a delay in beginning work on the projects. The official said that the project had been divided into two zones.

The officials said that Zone A covered the sewerage and disposal stations, whereas Zone B was concerned with the construction of at least two stormwater drains in the north of the city to protect the city from the flood waters coming from the Kashmir region.

They said that the work on Zone B had to be executed by the irrigation department and the housing department was to execute the work in Zone A. They claimed that the contracts for Zone B had been awarded and the contractor firm was due to mobilise the machinery in a week.

The schemes under the irrigation department were said to be crucial as the next rainy season was expected in seven to eight months. The new drains would be built near Daulat Nagar and Loraiy and embankments would also be built to protect the city from flooding.

A senior official said that the tender for Zone A had earlier been completed in November, however, due to some litigation, the schemes had to be re-tendered and tenders would be opened on December 8 (today).

It is learnt that the irrigation department and Wasa had proposed the projects as the Gujrat district administration had been pressing the concerned authorities to give top priority to resolve the chronic issues of drainage and sewerage system in Gujrat for a long time.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2025