Chandigarh, June 27 -- With groundwater levels under stress, the Municipal Corporation is moving ahead with a Rs.21.44 crore canal water supply project to improve potable water access across densely populated colonies and industrial pockets in wards 7, 8 and 9. The ward 7 covers Ambedkar Colony, Charan Singh Colony and Vikas Nagar. Similarly, Mauli Jagran, Raipur Kalan, Makhan Majra and Raipur Khurd fall under ward 8. Ward 9 includes Industrial Area Phase I, Sanjay Colony, Colony No. 4, and Daria. The proposal, to be placed before the General House on Monday, seeks to lay water pipelines from the Sector 32 waterworks to colonies currently dependent on tubewells. Civic officials have flagged that any disruption in tubewell operations leads to widespread supply issues in these areas, underlining the urgency of the project. The project assumes significance as Chandigarh continues to rely heavily on groundwater despite decades of planning to shift to canal-based supply. Recent data shows that the city still operates over 200 tubewells supplying nearly 17 million gallons per day, particularly to colonies and peripheral areas, even as canal water remains the primary source. Officials admit that this dual system is increasingly unsustainable. Studies have consistently warned that groundwater extraction in Chandigarh exceeds natural recharge, leading to a steady decline in water tables. The proposed pipeline from Sector 32 is expected to provide direct access to treated canal water, improving both reliability and quality. Earlier this year, pipeline replacement work affecting Sector 32 and adjoining areas led to supply interruptions across multiple sectors, highlighting the fragility of existing infrastructure. Concerns over ageing pipelines and uneven distribution have already been raised. Chandigarh's water strategy has long aimed to phase out tubewells and shift fully to canal water. However, the scrapping of the 24x7 water supply project has slowed that transition....