GUWAHATI: The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has decided to revive bus stops in the city that have been lying in a shambles for several years now.

Out of around 100 bus stops, the municipality will revamp around 44 of them that are thonged by hundreds of commuters everyday but lack basic amenities for the public.

"We decided to restore the bus stops in the city after we realized that the passengers were facing a lot of inconvenience due to poor maintenance. In the first phase, GMC will give a facelift to 44 bus stops. In fact, we recently held a pre-bid meeting with the firms that are keen to take up the task of constructing new bus stops. The bidding process will be over soon and the selected firms will be allotted the works by May," said Mukul Gogoi, additional commissioner of GMC.

The 44 bus stops will be developed under build-operate-transfer model. Gogoi said all major roads of the city will be covered under the project. Under the model, the selected firms will rebuild the bus stops giving them an all-new look and the firms will transfer these revamped bus stops to the GMC authorities after maintaining them for five years. "The passengers waiting for buses and cabs will feel secure under the newly-built sheds at the bus stops. They will be adequate space and sitting arrangements," Gogoi added. The GMC authorities have made it mandatory for the firms to keep 15 per cent of the advertising space in bus stops to be reserved for the government.

Commuters have been waiting for buses and cabs under the open sky in Chandmari, Ambari, Shantipur, Lakhtokia, Bhangagarh and Paltan Bazar for years now. Reviving the bus stops is the need of the hour. The additional commissioner of GMC said municipality also has plans to install solar panels above the sheds. But it will take some time before the ambitious plan of generating solar energy at the newly-constructed bus stops materializes.

JAIPUR: The old and choked sewerage lines in the Walled City area are expected to be replaced soon as the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) has drawn a plan to seek funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

The sewerage line in the Walled City area is over 40 years old and is in urgent need of repair or replacement.

According to officials, the detail project report (DPR) to upgrade the sewerage lines in 12 cities, including Jaipur, has been sent to the Central government. A senior official said, "The estimated population in the Walled City area is approximately 6 lakh, and the plan has been drawn accordingly. Pipelines of 200 mm width will be laid to curb the problem of overflowing. The project will cost nearly Rs 413 crore and we are expecting to receive half the amount under the scheme."

During monsoon, leakage in sewer lines in the Walled City area has led to contamination of the drinking water supply in the past few years.

Despite several complaints by councillors and residents, the municipal body expressed its helplessness to replace the old pipes due to shortage of funds.

Councillor of ward number 56 Kailash Naveriya said, "Every monsoon, the overflowing sewer lines pollute the drinking water. Even after repairing the lines, the problem has remained. Several residents fall sick every year. People have stopped consuming water that is supplied through the pipeline."

He added, "So far, the state government and the JMC have not figured out any permanent solution, thereby, putting the lives of several people at risk."

A senior JMC official said, "The project is pending for over four years now. During this time, the project cost has also gone up by at least Rs 100 crore. Earlier, it was estimated Rs 300 crore and a proposal was also sent to the state government for financial assistance. The state government later sent it to the Centre seeking funds under the JNNURM. But, the state has not received the funds yet."

He added, "We take immediate action on the complaints and wherever the water is polluted due to leakage of sewer line, we cut the supply and change the water pipeline. However, there is no permanent solution."

Explaining the contamination process, experts said the old sewer pipelines are laid down along with water pipelines. An overflow in the sewer lines and breakage in the drinking water pipelines causes contamination.