The Deccan Chronicle 08.09.2010
Water woes set to ease with `2,214 crore loanHyderabad, Sept. 7: People living in the municipalities surrounding Hyderabad can look forward to a project that will solve their drinking water supply problems.
The Water Board is likely to get a `2,214-crore loan by December 31, 2010, to carry out works on improving the water supply in the peripheral areas.
After a series of visits and inspections, a team from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is in the city again to inspect the detailed project reports.
The team is also expected to meet with senior officials from the municipal administration and the urban development department on September 9.
“If the state government gives a counter guarantee — as is being insisted on by the JICA — we’re hopeful of getting the loan by the year-end,” said a senior Water Board official.
However, another loan for `2,000 crore to take up works on the construction of an underground drainage system in peripheral areas is likely to be delayed.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency has expressed willingness to first fund the drinking water supply improvement project and based on its success, the sewerage project loan would also be extended in phase-II.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board had sought a `4,496-crore loan from the JICA for improving the drinking water and sewerage infrastructure in the 12 surrounding municipalities that are now part of Greater Hyderabad.
The project covers 12 municipal circles’ water supply proposals costing `2,214.38 crore for the proposed construction of storage reservoirs of 239 ML capacity, inlet and outlet mains of 197 km and distribution network of 3,418 km.
The second component of the project would cover the 12 municipal circles’ sewerage proposals and that part of the project would cost `1,594.05 crore.
Lastly, `686.36 crore is needed to develop the core city sewerage proposals for four zones.
