The Indian Express              27.06.2013

MMRDA seeks central funds for water project

The city's development authority has sought central government funding for setting up an infrastructure project to allocate water from Surya dam in Thane to areas such as Vasai, Virar and the Mira-Bhayander belt.

The MMRDA wrote to the Union Urban Development ministry last month requesting for 35 per cent funding under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for the project expected to cost Rs 933.28 crore.

"We have been allocated 303 million litres of water per day for distribution to Vasai, Virar and Mira-Bhayander. The state government will bear 15 per cent of the cost and the MMRDA will foot 50 per cent," a senior MMRDA official said.

The project, called Surya regional water supply scheme, is expected to make available 185 million litres of water per day to Vasai-Virar and 118 million litres per day to Mira-Bhayander. The MMRDA has written to NHAI to obtain right of way to lay a 88-km pipeline as part of the allocation infrastructure.

"We are in the process of completing formalities for acquiring the right of way. The authority has given a positive response. We will also need some private land," the official said.

Separately, the MMRDA has requested the state irrigation department to hand over 22 hectares near the dam for setting up a chlorination plant and pumping stations. The project is likely to take 34 months for completion after all approvals are in place.