The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has taken up several development projects in the Water Supply department, stated mayor Sovan Chatterjee while presenting the budget for the financial year 2018-19. A sum of Rs 391.96 crore has been allocated to the department.

The mayor Sovan Chatterjee today while presenting the budget stated several development projects have been taken up in the Water Supply department for supply of clean drinking water to the citizens. Most of the projects will expectedly be completed by this financial year, assured the mayor.

Talking about some of the undergoing and planned projects, the mayor said, “The civic body serves this city with treated surface water by generating filtered water at five water treatment plants and distributes to the entire city through 24 Booster Pumping Stations (BPS) and three Head Works located in different parts of the city. Our aim is to eliminate the use of ground water and replace it with supply of treated surface water.

“KMC has taken up refurbishment work of existing 18 MGD capacity water treatment plant at Palta by converting to 20 MGD modern filtered water treatment plant. Alongside, another project is in progress at Indira Gandhi Water Treatment Plant (IGWTP) for a refurbishment of water lifting jetty out of the Asian Developement Bank (ADB) funding.”

“Adjacent to Garden Reach Water Works (GRWW), we have taken up a project of 25 MGD capacity water treatment plant to enhance water generation capacity from existing 185 million gallon (MG) to 210 MG per day.

Construction of another reservoir adjacent to GRWW for capacity of 10 MG has also been taken up for which the tender has been floated. To eradicate the problem of lifting raw water, there was a need for a jetty. We have already commenced a project for construction of jetty at the upstream of Watgunj Pumping Station at Tuktaghat,” said Mr Chatterjee.

The KMC has further taken up projects for construction of another 16 head works to eliminate use of ground water through big tube wells out of which two head works have already been completed.

“We have received sanction from the state government to enhance the capacity of Anandpur and Patuli underground reservoirs. After completion of Patuli head works, the civic body will be able to provide more water in the water supply network at Raja Subodh Mullick Road for overall improvement of water supply adjoining Raja S.C Mullick Road,” he added.