Buddha river in Ludhiana rejunevation

Last Updated: 28 September 2026

'Buddha river' is a seasonal water stream, which runs through the Malwa region of Punjab and after passing through the highly populated Ludhiana district, it drains into Sutlej River^[1]

It is now called 'Buddha nullah' i.e. Buddha Drain, due to previous Govt negligence^[1:1]

TARGET: Stream to regain its glory from being called as 'Nullah' (Drain) to be called as Buddha 'Dariya'(River)^[1:2]

Status Aug 2026: Upstream stretch much cleaner - at one point BOD fell from 190 to 5.4 mg/l & COD from 458 to 36 mg/l (Jan 2025 - Apr 2026)^[2]
-- But lower reaches still carry heavy sewage & dairy bacterial load; work continues

¶ Funding^[1:3]

• Total estimated cost: ₹825 crores
• Dec 2023: 95% completion with ₹538.55 crores already spent
• Operation & maintenance: ₹294 crores would be spent for another 10 years after completion
• Punjab government is spending ₹392 crore whereas the central government is giving a grant of ₹258 crore^[3]

¶ Project Details^[1:4]

2 New sewage treatment plants(STPs)

• To handle Domestic Waste
• 225 MLD capacity at Jamalpur
  • The biggest such facility in Punjab, inaugurated by CM Bhagwant Mann on 21 Feb 2023^[3:1]
• 60-MLD capacity at Balloke

6 New intermediate pumping stations(IPS)

• 12-MLD capacity at Tibba
• 8-MLD capacity at Sundar Nagar
• 5-MLD capacity IPS at Kundanpuri
• 13-MLD capacity at Upkar Nagar
• 13-MLD capacity at Upkar Nagar
• LMH IPS
• another IPS near gaushala

Repair of existing STPs & MPS(pumping stations)

• Total 418 MLD treatment capacity
  • 105-MLD capacity at Balloke
  • 50-MLD capacity at Bhattian
  • 111-MLD capacity at Bhattian
  • 152-MLD capacity at Balloke

Industrial effluent discharge

• Total 137 MLD was discharge into the nullah
• All industrial units have been connected to common effluent treatment plants(CETPs) or their own Effluent treatment plants
• 3 CETPs had been installed recently
  • 50-MLD on Jail Road for Tajpur Road
  • 40-MLD capacity in Focal Point area industries
  • 15-MLD capacity on Bahadurke Road

Dairy waste management

• 2 ETPs for handling liquid waste from the dairy complex
  • 3.75-MLD capacity ETP at Haibowal
  • 2.25-MLD capacity plant on Tajpur Road
• Aug 2026: Foundation stone of ₹65 crore Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) plant at Haibowal dairy complex; will process 300 tonnes of cattle dung daily so it no longer enters Budha Nallah; ready by Sept 2027; benefits 435 dairy owners^[4]

Laying of pipeline

• 6,475 m on the west side
• 4,944 m on east side
• 650 m from Kundanpuri to Upkar Nagar.

REFERENCES:

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1. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/95-rejunevation-done-buddha-nullah-close-to-turn-into-river-576024 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

2. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/the-tribune-special-taking-stock-of-yrs-of-investment-to-tackle-ludhianas-bane-bit-cleaner-but-battle-far-from-over/ ↩︎

3. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/cmmann-inaugurates-punjab-s-biggest-stp-in-ludhiana-101676923371931.html ↩︎ ↩︎

4. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=225361 (Punjab Govt Press Release) ↩︎