NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, AUG 8
The Gujarat government on Sunday said the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will strengthen the city’s waste water management and stormwater drainage system using Rs 3,000 crore funds received from the World Bank under its resilient cities project.
Netherlands-headquartered Royal HaskoningDHV has been hired as consultant for this purpose, it said.
As part of its planning towards the goal to meet the city’s needs till 2045, the Ahmedabad civic body will increase the capacity of its five existing sewage treatment plants using technology upgrade at an investment of Rs 589 crore. This is being done to meet the new standards set by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the government said in an audio-visual presentation made at a programme here.
The civic body will also invest another Rs 434 crore to set up four new sewage treatment plants to increase its drainage water treatment capacity, it said.
Three tertiary treatment plants of 120 MLD each will be set up to supply treated water to industry and other uses at a cost of another Rs 290 crore, it said at a programme on Chief Minister Vijay Rupani completing five years in office.
The civic body will also undertake rehabilitation of old sewage trunk lines to reduce issues of breakdowns, at a cost of Rs 285 crore, it said. With another Rs 205 crore, trenchless microtunneling lines will be laid in populated areas. Besides that, Rs 447 crore will be earmarked for stormwater lines and Rs 456 crore for Kharicut canal and lake development, it was revealed in the presentation.
Kharicut canal is one of the oldest irrigation schemes that passes through the eastern part of the city and is also used to drain stormwater during monsoon.
In a video message on the occasion, Country Director-India of the World Bank, Junaid Kamal Ahmad, said that Gujarat is at a stage of being called upon to speak on behalf of India, where the level of movement of people into cities and towns is unparalleled across history.
“India needs to create resilient cities and cities that are capable of delivering services to its people. And today, what you will do in Gujarat by responding and strengthening urban governance will indeed lead the way for the future,” he said.
