The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) has been conferred the SKOCH Silver Award under the category ‘Municipal Governance – Water Supply Infrastructure’ for implementing the 580-MLD canal-based Ludhiana Surface Water Supply Scheme (LSWSS). The award was presented at a ceremony in New Delhi on Saturday.
Project Details and Recognition
The SKOCH Award, instituted in 2003 by the SKOCH Group, is one of India’s most respected independent honours, recognising initiatives that contribute to socio-economic development, governance reforms and sustainable growth. The LSWSS project was acknowledged for its role in sustainable urban infrastructure development, water security and citizen-centric governance.
The project is being executed by the Ludhiana MC with technical support from the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC), under the leadership of Mayor Inderjit Kaur, Municipal Commissioner Ojasvi Alankar, Joint Commissioner Vineet Kumar, Chief Engineer Ravinder Garg and Superintending Engineer Parul Goyal.
Funding and Scope
The Ludhiana Surface Water Supply Scheme is jointly funded by the World Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Punjab Government. It is one of the largest urban water infrastructure projects in the state. Key components include construction of a 580-MLD water treatment plant at Bilga village near Sahnewal, laying of approximately 165 km of transmission pipelines, rehabilitation of 66 existing overhead service reservoirs (OHSRs) and construction of 70 new OHSRs across the city.
The scheme aims to provide clean, treated surface water to nearly 30 lakh residents, reducing dependence on depleting groundwater resources and ensuring long-term water security. Currently, the project has achieved around 37 per cent physical progress, with work progressing simultaneously on multiple components.
Official Response and Previous Accolades
Expressing satisfaction over the achievement, the MC Commissioner stated that the award reflects the collective efforts of the MC, PIU, PMIDC, consultants, contractor and all stakeholders. He added that the recognition would further motivate the team to deliver a world-class, sustainable and resilient water supply system for Ludhiana.
Earlier this year, in March 2026, the MC was also conferred the ‘Best Smart City Water Initiative Award’ during the Global Sustainability and Innovation Awards held in New Delhi.
