KARACHI, March 21: President Pervez Musharraf will lay the foundation stone of the Rs 6.104 billion Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (Phase-V, Stage-II), in April. Although the foundation stone ceremony of the project was earlier scheduled to be held on Saturday, it has now been delayed owing to the president’s engagements in the city and Balochistan.

With the completion of the K-3 project, the city’s total water supply will increase to 534 mgd and thus the gap between the city’s water supply and demand will reduce considerably as a feasibility study had estimated the city’s water demand to 594 mgd.

According to the KWSB sources, the President will unveil a plaque, near Karachi University Reservoir, thereby giving a green signal for laying an 84-inch dia pipeline from the Reservoir to COD Filter Plant.

Asked about the localities which would benefit from the K-3 project, the KWSB officials said with the commissioning of the project in the next three years, 60 per cent of the total 100 mgd will be provided to deficit pockets of former district West, five per cent to Balochistan and the remaining 35 pc will be used for improving improve the overall water supply situation of the city.

Elaborating, the sources said the project which was being financed by both the federal and Sindh governments had already been approved by the ECNEC and its concept clearance was accorded approval by provincial government a long time ago.

The salient feature of the proposed K-3 is that it will cost only Rs 6.104 billion as against the K-2 project which was completed in June, 1999 at a cost of Rs 10 billion, the sources said, adding the cost of the K-3 project has considerably been reduced because the existing 30 kilometre long canal that was constructed under K-2 project would also be used for the K-3 project, as well.

Moreover, 70 kilometre square conduit of the K-2 would be replicated with the construction of three sides along the existing K-2 alignment and wherever it was possible the pre- stressed pipes would be used for the cost-reduction purpose, the sources said.

Another salient feature of the K-3 is that it has already resulted in re-opening of the KDA’s pipe factory for manufacturing pipes for the project, they added.

The sources said that the project’s feasibility study was initially undertaken prior to starting the K-2 project for assessing the city’s water requirement.