Boost drainage, sewerage infra: KMC takes up project worth Rs 700 cr

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has come up with a project worth Rs 700 crore which will provide a boost to the overhaul of the sewerage and drainage infrastructure in the city.

“We have received a grant of around Rs 500 crore from NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) and another Rs 200 crore from the state government. We have our project ready and presently the DPR is being prepared on the basis of which we will float tender for the project which is meant at further augmentation of the drainage network in the city,” Binod Kumar, Commissioner of KMC said at a programme in which Mayor Firhad Hakim inaugurated 43 new high-pressure jetting-cum-suction machine, which is in addition to the existing 226 types of machinery of the Sewerage and Drainage department of the civic body.

Kumar added that as both the Bidyadhari Canal and River Hooghly in which the accumulated water in the city drains out are tidal rivers, during high tide lock gates need to be closed. The duration for such closure is around 3 hours. So, if there is rainfall at the time of high tide then the water accumulates and drains out only after the lock gates are opened.

“Our target is to ensure that waterlogging does not take place beyond 3 hours,” he added.

Mayor Firhad Hakim heaved praise on the Drainage department led by Tarak Singh for eliminating water logging woes in several hotspots in the city that include Thanthania, Kidderpore, and Alipore Bodyguard Lines to name a few.

He maintained that with emphasis on desilting and maintenance Kolkata was more or less free from waterlogging during this monsoon.