Balurghat Municipality floats Rs 2 cr tender for NH-512 water project

BALURGHAT: In a major step towards achieving 100 percent household drinking water coverage, the Balurghat Municipality has floated a tender worth nearly Rs 2 crore for laying a new pipeline along National Highway 512 from Balurghat Public Bus Stand to Raghunathpur.

Municipal sources said that although pipeline installation work has been continuing in various lanes and bylanes of Balurghat town for more than a decade, houses located along both sides of the Balurghat-Malda 512 National Highway stretch have remained outside the purview of the drinking water supply scheme. As a result, residents in this nearly two-kilometre stretch have long been deprived of piped water connections.

Balurghat town comprises 25 wards with around 23,000 families. Most households currently receive piped drinking water twice daily. However, several areas still remain uncovered. In Chakbhrigu, wards 13, 14, and 15 have not yet seen the commencement of household pipeline connections. The municipality has initiated steps to seek financial allocation from the state government for a separate project in these three wards. Additionally, a number of residential flats in different parts of the town are yet to be brought under the scheme.

Civic authorities said that ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, efforts are underway to ensure 100 per cent drinking water coverage in 22 wards, excluding Chakbhrigu for the time being, where a dedicated proposal is being processed.

Municipal Chairman Surajit Saha said: “For nearly two kilometres along the national highway stretch from Balurghat Public Bus Stand to Raghunathpur, pipelines have not been laid so far. We have floated the tender for this work and it will begin very soon. Once the pipeline installation is completed, households along that stretch will receive drinking water through piped connections. A separate project is also being planned for three wards in Chakbhrigu to ensure comprehensive coverage.”