GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday inaugurated the first phase of commissioning of South West Guwahati water supply project under JnNURM implemented by Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) at Sadilapur, Jalukbari in the city.
The first phase commissioning of ambitious water supply project would cater to the needs of people in 4 District Metering Areas (DMAs) under Kamakhya Distribution Zone of the project. These 4 DMAs will cover a vast area ranging from Bhutnath to MaligaonChariali along the foot hills of Kamakhya hill, Kalipur, Kamakhya Colony, Pandu, Boripara, Pandav Nagar, Kamakhya Nagar, Anand Nagar, Sankar Nagar, Joymoti Nagar, Adabari area etc. The project, implemented with a total cost of Rs 407.52 crore, has capacity of providing water connections to fifty thousand households.
Further, the treated water from this project will also be supplied to Kharghuli Reservoir under JICA assisted Guwahati Water Supply Project (Central Zone) through a 9 km long separate pipeline and this water will be available and supplied to the areas like Uzan Bazar, Kharghuli, Ramsa hill, Amiyo Nagar, Chandmari, Rajgarh, Zoo Road Tinali, Geetanagar, BSFCamp etc. and house service connection to these areas will be provided by Guwahati Jal Board.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the first phase of commissioning of the water supply project would be able to bridge the demand-supply gap of potable drinking water in a large portion of the city and thanked the GMDA officials for completion of the project's first phase. He said that due to COVID-19 pandemic the project has been delayed and hoped that the 2nd phase of the project would also be completed soon.
Saying the State government's commitment to provide water to all households in the city would be fulfilled with implementation of the project, Sonowal urged the citizens of Guwahati to cooperate in keeping the city clean so that visitors can be presented a good impression. Thanking Prime Minister NarendraModi for inclusion of Guwahati in the first phase of smart city project, Sonowal said a smart city requires smart citizens and urged the citizens to maintain the natural beauty of Guwahati while cooperating in government's initiative to beautify the city. He also cited examples of clean cities across the world and the country where citizens have contributed immensely to the maintenance of cleanliness and natural beauty.
Guwahati Development Department Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya thanked the GMDA officials and Gammon India engineers for successful implementation of the project and informed that the project would be able to provide 10 crorelitres of water daily when it becomes fully operational.
Guwahati MP Queen Ojah, GMDA Chairman Ashok Singhal, West Guwahati MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, Additional Chief Secretary Maninder Singh also spoke on the occasion, stated a release.