In a first, Wasa to introduce tunnel boring technology

LAHORE: In a first of its kind project, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has planned to lay down a new trunk sewer system using micro-tunnel boring technology at an estimated cost of Rs12 billion.

The new line will replace many of the pre-partition sewerage lines of the provincial metropolis, said Wasa Managing Director Syed Zahid Aziz, adding laying of this trunk sewerage line will not cause any inconvenience for the general public as there will be targeted excavations without open digging. A manhole after every 300 meters will be made on the system.

Laying down a sewerage system in Lahore is always considered a big problem because of open digging and shifting of other services but after introduction of micro-tunneling technology by Wasa the city will be free of any such issues.

The Agency MD said that micro-tunneling is a digging technique used to construct small tunnels and this technology is especially used in water supply, drainage and sanitation sectors worldwide. He said micro-tunnel boring machines are very similar to tunnel boring machines (TBM) but on a smaller scale.

He said no shifting of services will be included in this project as most of the utility services such as waterlines, Internet cables, telephone lines and etc existed around two to three meters in the ground whereas the new sewer line will be laid down about 28 to 30 feet deep.

A senior Wasa engineer said that the micro-tunneling machine and jacking frame were set up in a shaft at the required depth and then the tunnel boring activity will be monitored via a computer console or CCTV camera. He said the machine is launched through an entry eye and pipes are pushed behind the machine.

The project will start from Larecs Colony and will end at Gulshan-e-Ravi where a new pumping station will also be constructed. One side of the new line will cover most of the central Lahore, including Garhi Shahu, Shimla Hill, Egerton Road, Lakshami Chowk, Nabah Road, Jain Mandir, Chauburji, Samanabad and Gulshan-e-Ravi. The other side of the drain will cover Shadman, Gulberg, Samanabad, Bagh Gull Begum, Mozang and etc.

The Agency MD said the PC-1 of the project had already been approved during the previous regime.