GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated the commissioning of the Lichubagan reservoir with a 4.5 lakh-litre distribution capacity daily as part of the JICA-Assisted South Central Guwahati Water Supply Project to provide clean and safe drinking water to the residents of Guwahati.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that a wide distribution network spanning 130 kilometres has been established to facilitate the distribution of water from the reservoir. The Lichubagan Distribution Zone is expected to provide water to approximately 20,000 households, he said, adding that while the overall Lichubagan Zone will be commissioned in 3 phases, the first phase is commissioned today. This initial phase will comprise 7 District Metering Areas (DMA), which will provide potable water to 6,500 households in the Distribution Zone.
The Chief Minister said that after a successful trial run, the Guwahati Water Supply project was inaugurated for partial commissioning on December 21, 2022. With the intake plant and water treatment plant at Kharghuli, the project has been able to supply water to the residents of 14 DMAS. The project has provided 6,000 metered connections to various categories of consumers, serving 15,200 households in multiple areas, including Amiya Nagar, Chandmari, Zoo Road, Gandhi Basti, Sarania, Part of Ulubari, Bora-Service, Geetanagar, Ambikagiri Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Shree Nagar, Christian Basti, Walford, etc., he said.
The phased commissioning plan for Lichubagan and Ramsa Hill Reservoir Zone has been finalized and this will cover 13 DMAs benefiting 10,903 households, the Chief Minister informed. These areas are Hengrabari, Swarajnagar, SBI Colony, Dilip Huzuri Path, Rupkonwar Colony, Zakir Hussain Road, Krishna Nagar, Kali Mandir Path, Shiv Mandir Path, Nizarapur Area, Koilashpur Area, Indrapur Area, Mahesh Pur Area, Kanchan Nagar Area, Silpukhuri, Nabagraha, Lamb Road, Happy Villa, Uzanbazar, Panbazar, etc.
The Chief Minister said that once the second phase of the Lichubagan and Ramsa Hill Reservoir Zone is completed, 16 DMAs covering 14,928 households will get potable drinking water. The Chief Minister informed that the North Guwahati project will be commissioned in February 2024, covering 15 DMAs. In Phase 4, the commissioning of Narkasur and Geetanagar reservoirs has been fixed for March 2024. 35 DMAs will be covered in phase 4 commissioning, benefiting 23,422 households. Sonaighuli Reservoir Zone will be commissioned in Phase 5, covering 23 DMAs and 28,865 households, the Chief Minister added.
The Chief Minister further said that the South West Guwahati Water Supply Project, once completed, will be able to supply potable drinking water to 55,000 households. He said that Larsen & Turbo Ltd. has been assigned to complete the balance work of the project, and it is expected to be over in the first part of 2025.
Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Ashok Singhal, MP Queen Oja, GMC Mayor Mrigen Sarania, Councillors of GMC, Commissioner and Secretary of DOHUA Kavita Padmanabhan, Kamrup Metro DC Pallab Gopal Jha, and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion, stated a press release.
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