Uttarakhand CM seeks ₹ 1774 crore for Song Dam drinking water project in Dehradun

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to request the release of ₹1,774 crore for the Song Dam drinking water project as special assistance from the central government.

The Chief Minister also sought to remove the ceiling imposed on the extent of loans that the state can use in externally supported projects, taking into account the special circumstances of the state. The Chief Minister said the drinking water project will help supply drinking water to Dehradun at a proposed cost of ₹2,021 crore.

Dhami said the project will generate 150 million liters per day (MLD) for 10 million people in Dehradun city and its suburbs.

“After the construction of the project, dependence on tube wells for the drinking water system will almost end. In addition, the construction of the project will create a lake with a length of approximately 3.50 km, which will support tourism in the area. This will create employment and increase the income of local citizens,” he said.

Dhami said the project will also help in flood control and protect about 15,000 people living in 10 villages of Dehradun district from Song river floods.

The Prime Minister said that all the necessary technical, forest land and other approvals related to the project have been obtained from the concerned departments. “The state government will bear an expenditure of ₹247 crore for the rehabilitation and resettlement of project-affected families,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that along with the undergrounding of power lines on the main roads of Dehradun under the Asian Development Bank, work to strengthen the state's transmission system, which includes construction of power substations and lines, would soon be completed. He sought the approval of the Ministry of Economic Affairs for the scheme.