Mission to benefit 2.09 lakh existing urban households, provide over 64,663 new drinking water connections across UT
Srinagar, Jul 06 (KNO): The Jammu and Kashmir Government is implementing 90 projects worth Rs 1,002.38 crore under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 to strengthen urban water supply, sewerage infrastructure, and rejuvenate water bodies across the Union Territory.
According to the Housing and Urban Development Department’s Urban Insights newsletter for May 2026, the approved outlay includes nearly Rs 867 crore in Central assistance. The projects comprise 65 regional water supply schemes, three sewerage and septage management projects, and 22 water body rejuvenation works aimed at improving access to safe drinking water, sanitation and sustainable urban development.
The newsletter, accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), states that all 22 water body rejuvenation projects have been completed. Water supply schemes in Ramgarh, Batote, Akhnoor, Jourian, Bari Brahmana, Kunzar and Devsar have also been completed, while major works such as the Dal Lake pollution abatement project, the Srinagar Extension Water Supply Scheme and the Udhampur Water Supply Scheme are nearing completion.
Under AMRUT 2.0, urban water supply capacity is expected to increase by 104.64 million litres per day (MLD), including 57.635 MLD in Kashmir Division and 47.05 MLD in Jammu Division. The programme also includes laying more than 1,211 kilometres of water pipelines, constructing 47 elevated overhead tanks, 31 ground-level service reservoirs and 62 pumping stations to strengthen water distribution networks.
The department said the infrastructure will benefit more than 2.09 lakh existing urban households and provide over 64,663 new drinking water connections across the Union Territory.
The newsletter also highlights the Rs 306.05-crore Dal Lake environmental restoration and pollution abatement project, which includes the construction of a 30 MLD advanced sewage treatment plant along with a modern sewerage network. The project is aimed at reducing pollution in the lake while meeting the needs of more than two lakh future residents.
To improve wastewater management, 14 projects worth over Rs 10.50 crore are being taken up under the Jal Hi AMRIT (JHA) initiative. These projects focus on upgrading treatment facilities through advanced technologies, SCADA-based monitoring systems and resource recovery practices.
The department further said GIS-based master plans are being prepared for 25 Class-II towns to support scientific and data-driven urban planning, improve infrastructure development and strengthen urban governance.
The newsletter also highlights community participation through the AMRUT MITRA initiative, under which women-led Self Help Groups have conducted more than 78,000 water quality tests in urban areas. According to the department, the initiative has strengthened water quality monitoring while encouraging greater public participation in protecting drinking water resources.
Besides expanding water supply infrastructure, AMRUT 2.0 also focuses on improving sewerage systems, restoring urban water bodies and introducing technology-driven service delivery. The department said the integrated approach is expected to create cleaner, healthier and more liveable cities while ensuring long-term water security across urban Jammu and Kashmir—(KNO)
