Consortium of three Chinese companies to invest Rs 9.3 billion in Lahore water meters project

Lahore: A consortium of three Chinese companies will invest Pakistani Rs 9.3 billion in the water meters project under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in Pakistani Lahore city.

Under the plan, water metering will be done to 750, 000 customers of Lahore city in two years. The Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Punjab government share in the project will be more than Rs 2.13 billion.

Under PPP mode, a monthly rental charge of Rs 170 will be levied on the domestic consumer. A monthly rental charge of Rs 450 will be levied on the commercial consumer in the form of metering. With this, Lahore will become the first city in Pakistan with 100% water metering.

Earlier, a Concession Agreement was signed between Government of the Punjab and consortium of three Chinese companies – M/s. Wenling Younio Water Meter Co. Ltd, M/s. Jiangsu Xinlang Environmental Company (Private) Ltd., and M/s. China Energy Engineering Group Jiangsu – through “XINLANG Lahore Water Metering (SMC-Private) Limited” a Special Purpose Vehicle created for this project.

Under the plan, 711,265 water meters (93% domestic and 7% commercial) will be installed in Lahore. The establishment of local manufacturing unit to assemble water meters will create employment generation for the residents.

On Tuesday afternoon, Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) Punjab Usman Buzdar on Information and spokesperson to the Punjab Government Hasaan Khawar said that installation of water meters in Lahore under the PPP with a consortium of three Chinese companies worth Pakistani Rs 9.3 billion would not only reduce the rapidly declining water table in Lahore but benefit consumers.

He maintained that with the help of the three Chinese companies the consumers will see reduction of water bills, containment of leakages, and save about Pakistan Rs 460 million of the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) electricity bills.

“We are committed to completing public welfare projects through private investment and sparing public resources only where it is needed the most,” the SACM told journalists here at the offices of the Punjab Public Private Partnership Authority.

Hasaan Khawar opined that under public-private partnership, several projects worth Rs 191 billion were in the pipeline in Punjab.

“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, the government has introduced measures to facilitate private investors in Punjab through Investment Facilitation Center and Special Economic Zones, which were previously thought of only in developed countries,” he added.

Vice Chairman WASA Sheikh Imtiaz and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Punjab Public Private Partnership Authority Amjad Awan were also present.