Vaitarna plan gets nod, more water from 2011
New Delhi/Mumbai: Residents of Greater Mumbai can hope for better water
supply with the Centre on Thursday approving a Rs 1,300 crore project to
make available an additional 455 million litres of water daily within the
next four years.
The cabinet committee on economic affairs, chaired by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, gave the approval for the Greater Mumbai-IV-Middle Vaitarna
water supply project that will cost Rs 1,329.50 crore.
“The project will supply 455 million litres per day after completion,”
finance minister P Chidambaram told reporters and added that the project
would be completed before 2011.
The project was sent to the environment ministry for clearance in 1995
but it was only last year after the 26/7 floods that it acquired momentum.
Its total cost is estimated at Rs 1,600 crore. The Centre has sanctioned Rs
1,329 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The
Centre and state together will provide Rs 665 crore and the remainder will
be raised by the BMC through an internal loan.
The BMC has already invited tenders to lay a 7.5 km-long tunnel, 32.5 km
ofwater mains and a water treatment plant for 900 million litres daily at
its Bhandup complex. It will be the largest in the country.
The tenders for the 100-metre-high dam and pumping station will be
invited next month. Environmental clearance for the dam, which has been
designed by the Central Design Organisation, Nashik, was received only last
month.
The BMC presently makes available 3,203 million litres of water per day
from different sources situated at a distance ranging from 80-160 km from
the city.
The projected demand for water in these areas is estimated at 3,814
million litres per day in 2011. The project will also reduce dependence on
the costly private water supply through tankers in the city, an official
release said.
WATER WAY TO GO Cost of the project: Rs 1,330 crore Centre + state: Rs 665
crore BMC loan: Rs 665 crore To supply: 455 million litres a day