Concrete wall to be built to protect Ambala Cantt industrial area from Tangri floods

In a major relief to  industrialists running operations from the industrial area in Ambala Cantonment, a budget of Rs 16.35 crore will be spent on the construction of a concrete wall around the industrial area. The wall spanning 2 km will be constructed to protect it from flooding.

Tangri is a seasonal river and it swells when there is heavy rainfall in the Shivalik region. Due to the illegal constructions on the riverbed, the size of the river has shrunk. Hundreds of families live in houses constructed on the riverbed and in the colonies situated near the river.

Two years ago, the overflowing of Tangri river had caused heavy losses and the water had left a trail of large-scale damage in the form of ruined furniture, machinery, accumulated sludge and mud in the houses and industrial units.

As per Haryana Cabinet Minister Anil Vij, the state government has given its approval for the project and tenders for construction will be floated in the coming days. Vij said to prevent losses from floods, directions were issued to construct a protective wall, and a financial approval has been received from the government. The wall will be built using strong RCC (reinforced cement concrete) and will be six ft above the road level. Two more water pumps have been installed to drain floodwater from the area, bringing the total number of pumps to four.

Besides this, the riverbed is being deepened to ensure smooth flow of the water, the minister said and added that the progress was reviewed and instructions had been given to the Irrigation Department to complete the work swiftly before the monsoon season began. Deepening the riverbed would prevent the water from breaching embankments during heavy rainfall.

The work to deepen the riverbed by six ft started in March and the sand excavated from the Tangri river in Ambala Cantonment would be utilised in the Ambala Ring Road project of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). An MoU was signed between the Irrigation Department, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar, for this project, ensuring that the extracted sand from the riverbed would be used in the ongoing Ambala Ring Road project. By deepening the riverbed, water would flow smoothly during the rainy season, providing protection to thousands of residents in dozens of nearby colonies.

Members of the HSIIDC Industrial Area Association recently met the Cabinet Minister at his residence and expressed their gratitude for securing the approval for the boundary wall project. The association members said the wall would help in protecting industrial area from floods.

Haryana Tribune