NAGPUR: The residents of East and North Nagpur may now hope for better water supply. Nagpur Municipal Corporation has begun steps to get uninterrupted power supply for Kanhan water treatment plant at an expense of Rs 6.29 crore.

The NMC is making all efforts to build a proper platform for private
operator Orange City Water Ltd (OCWL) to ensure water supply to the city
improves. The Central government, under JNNURM, had sanctioned projects
worth Rs 1,500 crore for improvement of water works. Some of these are
completed and the remaining, excluding 24×7 water supply project, are
nearing completion. The entire water works was handed over to OCWL from
December 2011.

NMC had also decided to improve the electricity
infrastructure at Kanhan water treatment plant in 2011 which is a new
plant constructed under JNNURM. The water supply used to get hampered
many times due to power supply problems.

A senior NMC official said Rs 6.29 crore will be spent by NMC itself at the Kanhan plant. “Independent electricity express feeder
of 12 km length will be established from 220 KV Kanhan substation of
Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited
(Mahatransco). NMC has paid Rs 22 lakh to Mahatransco for the work.
Besides, Rs 3.47 crore have been deposited with MSEDCL for establishing
the feeder. Rs 2.60 crore will be spent on improving electricity
infrastructure at the Kanhan plant. Tenders have been floated for the
works. The proposal to issue work order to the lowest bidder will be
placed before the standing committee in coming days,” he said.

The NMC had handed over the Kanhan plant to Veolia Water India Ltd in
2009-10 for construction of new plant with installed capacity of 240
million litres per day under PPP model. The new plant constructed with
JNNURM funds including 50% from the Centre, 20% from state and 30% from
Veolia was formally inaugurated in December 2011. Veolia will operate
and maintain the plant for next 15 years. Still, NMC went for fresh
investment in the plant citing responsibility to ensure proper water
supply to the citizens.

Since inauguration, Kanhan plant is yet
to achieve its rated capacity of 240 MLD. It is expected to do so in
coming days with increase in water level of Kanhan river. The
uninterrupted power supply will help augment capacity utilization.
Besides, NMC is also planning to go for construction of barrage near the
plant and is doing a feasibility study for the project.