Bathen–Bajnari–Badalav gets the first ever Rs 9.7 Cr WSS under JJM
Major relief for tribal habitations in Pampore
Pulwama: In a major push toward ensuring equitable access to basic amenities in remote tribal belts, the Bathen–Bajnari–Badalav Water Supply Scheme—a pioneering project worth Rs 9.07 crore—was inaugurated in Pampore’s Khrew belt under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
Officials from the Jal Shakti Department, including Er Zubair Ahmad Naqash (Executive Engineer), Er Mudasir Mushtaq Untoo (AEE Civil), Er Shafat Ahmed (Mechanical) and several field engineers, were present during the inauguration.
This ambitious and first-of-its-kind scheme in Pulwama district aims to provide reliable piped drinking water to every household in the tribal habitations of Bathen, Bajnari and Badalaw—areas that have faced decades of water scarcity due to their harsh terrain and absence of perennial water sources.
The scheme has been engineered with an advanced four-stage lift mechanism, drawing water from a borewell source in Khrew and pumping it nearly 500 metres vertically, up to the Bathen summit at 2,170 metres above mean sea level (MSL).
“This project is a breakthrough for us,” said an official from the department.
“The terrain is extremely challenging, and no natural water source exists at such an altitude. The only dependable solution was to engineer a multi-stage lifting system, and JJM has made that possible.”
Now the scheme has ensured safe, clean and 24×7 potable water supply, ending years of dependence on tanker services and small domestic storage tanks.
For decades, the upper reaches of Khrew—particularly Bathen, Bajnari and Batdalaw—have remained among the most water-stressed areas in South Kashmir.
An official explained that earlier efforts to drill borewells had yielded weak results.
“In Bajnari, around 20–25 households live at nearly 2,000 metres altitude with no perennial water source. A deep borewell drilled in 2019–20 did not encounter viable aquifers. Another borewell was drilled later, fitted with a submersible pump and diesel generator, but even that could not provide sufficient supply,” he said.
As a result, households survived on a mix of limited borewell supply and regular water tankers, which often failed to reach the area during snowfall or slippery road conditions.
The situation was similar for the habitations of Bathen and Badalaw, which also lacked natural water sources and adequate groundwater yield.
Given the growing crisis, the Jal Shakti Department prepared a long-term solution: lifting water from an already established production well in Khrew.
The scheme involved three to four-stage water lifting, construction of dedicated service reservoirs for the upper habitation, a robust network of transmission and distribution pipelines and reliable power backup and mechanical systems for uninterrupted supply
Residents of the tribal localities hailed the administration and Jal Shakti Department for finally addressing their decades-old demand.
“We have lived our whole lives waiting for water tankers. Winters were the worst; sometimes we had no water for days,” said Mohammad Yaqoob, a resident of Bajnari.
“For the first time, this scheme has changed our lives and ended our suffering.”
Another resident from Bathen said: “We thank all engineers and the district administration. Water is our basic right, and this project brings dignity to our lives.”
Officials said the Bathen–Bajnari–Badalaw project now serves as a model for supplying water to inaccessible and high-altitude habitations across Jammu and Kashmir under Jal Jeevan Mission.
