Urban News

Hindustan Times  02.11.2010

In a bid to plug the loss of 700 million litre of water per day through leakages and theft, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is trying to get additional Rs 217 crore for carrying out emergency repairs. This, after Rs 266 crore was sanctioned for a two-year period. The proposal for the additional amount will be tabled before the standing committee on Tuesday.

According to the civic body, around 20-25% water is wasted due to leakages and pilferage through old and dilapidated pipelines. Of the total supply of 3,330 million litre of water, Mumbai loses around 700 million litre daily.

To maintain, operate and repair the water distribution system, the civic body had divided the city into 16 parts and appointed contractors in 2009 at a budget of Rs 14-17 crore for each zone.

These contractors were expected to plug leakages, carry out repairs, replace old pipelines, lay new water mains and construct sluice valve chambers, among other things.

In July 2009, the civic committee cleared the proposal for Rs 266 crore for the repair work. The amount was allotted for two years from 2009 to 2011.

Mangesh Bansod, Nationalist Congress Party corporator from Byculla, alleged that no work had been carried out in his ward.

“The civic body has not replaced the water pipeline on Rambhau Bhogale Marg in Ghodapdeo area. The new pipeline only exists on paper, but the contractor has been paid his dues,” he alleged.

However, Aseem Gupta, additional municipal commissioner, refuted the charges. “We are trying to reduce leakage and theft as much as possible,” he said. 

 “The exact quantity of water that has been saved can be measured only after metering each and every water connection in the city,” said an official from the water department, on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.