Nagpur: Six years ago, when Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) took up the Rs387.86 crore 24x7 water supply project, it had claimed it would solve the problem of shortage as well as contaminated supply to all households. Now, it is saying Rs1,100 crore and five more years are needed to solve precisely those problems.
Nagpur Environmental Services Limited (NESL) board headed by mayor Nanda Jichkar met on Wednesday and reviewed 24x7 project being implemented through Orange City Water Pvt Ltd (OCW).
An official from NMC’s water works department told TOI, OCW had sought five years’ extension to achieve the benchmarks of the project excluding 24x7 water supply to all households. “OCW was supposed to replace 676.10km old pipelines, house service connections and ensure 24x7 supply to 3,20,211 household, reduce water losses to 40%, mitigate contaminated water supply along with other benchmarks between March 1, 2012, and March 1, 2017. Pipeline replacement and 24x7 water supply to all households will be completed soon. OCW has sought five more years to achieve other benchmarks,” he said.
The official added Rs1,100 crore will be required to replace the entire old water network in order to end contaminated supply problem and reduce losses to 15%. “Total network is 3,200km. Most of it is very old and prone to leaks that result in contamination,” he said.
Municipal commissioner Ashwin Mudgal said the project got delayed due to various reasons including stopping of funding by Central and state governments for four years. “Now it will be expedited as the government had begun releasing funds from last year,” he said.
The official also said decision on granting extension to OCW will be taken soon. “A big hurdle to the project is lack of support from people. Households without connections or drawing water from unauthorized connections are not ready to regularize them installing meters. Pench-IV water supply project including commissioning of new water treatment plant and overhead water tanks have also got delayed,” he said.
Corporators from almost all political parties including BJP-led ruling alliance had lodged complaints about severe water crisis in the last meeting of NMC general body. Corporators had also alleged supply of contaminated water in many areas. The water losses are around 60% as billing is for only 260 million litres per day (MLD) against supply of 640 MLD. Target of revenue from water was Rs150 crore in 2013-14 but it came to only Rs139 crore in 2017-18 that too mostly due to rise in tariff. These raise questions on the project itself.
Jichkar and ruling party leader Sandip Joshi did not respond to TOI calls for comment.