As compared to the Rs3,006.94 crore allocated for water supply and related operations last year, the outlay this year is expected to scale up to the Rs3,175 crore mark.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be pouring money into the water sector in the next fiscal with the hope that this alleviates the crisis faced by the city.
Projects for the augmentation of water supply, reduction of water
losses, improvement in water delivery, and identification of alternative sources of water have been given top priority in the municipal budget for the next fiscal. Municipal commissioner SS Kshatriya will present the budget on February 3. Energy audit will be undertaken for water supply.
In a budget in which most capital expenditure heads are being kept static or even being reduced, budgetary allocations for water supply and related operations (G budget) will rise over last year’s outlay, with an additional allocation of Rs169 crore. As compared to the Rs3,006.94 crore allocated for water supply and related operations last year, the outlay this year is expected to scale up to the Rs3,175 crore mark.
Water supply projects will get Rs1,400 crore from the proposed outlay. Officials from the civic water supply projects department said the Middle Vaitarna project, expected to add another 455 million litres of water supply, will account for the bulk of this. Projects for the reduction of water losses, by way of replacing old Tansa water mains, and constructing tunnels to reduce leakages and eliminate contamination at two places within the city will be the other priority works to be taken up.
Another Rs1,200 crore is expected to be diverted towards improving daily operations and delivery of water. Hydraulic department officials said reducing unaccounted for water (UFW), and finding alternative sources of water supply, will be the focus areas in this case. To reduce the percentage of UFW, the BMC plans to install automatic meters for all 3.3 lakh water connections in the city. While the project will be taken up in a phased manner, the BMC hopes to install meters for at least 40% of the connections in the next fiscal. An expenditure of Rs 450 crore will be provided for this exercise.
The BMC has set aside Rs237.48 crore for upgradation and replacement of old sewers to cut down on leakages and reduce incidences of contamination due to contact between sewer lines with water mains.
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