Chandigarh, Sept. 17 -- Sewage overflows, leakages and road cave-ins may soon be a thing of the past, with the municipal corporation preparing a Rs.600-crore city-wide plan to rehabilitate and strengthen Chandigarh's ageing 800-km sewerage network.

Officials said the civic body was considering a large-scale de-silting and structured lining project to overhaul the underground pipeline system, crumbling under decades of silting, intrusion of tree roots, traffic pressure and frequent puncturing by cable-laying agencies.

"The sewerage network in Chandigarh dates back to 1955, making it nearly 70 years old. At that time, the system was designed for a much smaller population. Over the years, the city has expanded manifold, but the capacity of...