KMC to set up 10 MGD water treatment plant on eastern flank of EM Bypass

Kolkata: In a bid to phase out use of groundwater in Boroughs X, XI and XII, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is planning to set up a water treatment plant of 10 million gallons per day (MGD) on EM Bypass near the junction of Garia Station Road on a turnkey basis. According to KMC, presently the vast area of these three above-mentioned Boroughs is partly supplied through surface water from Garden Reach Water Works and Dhapa water treatment plant through different booster pumping stations (BPS), capsule BPS and elevated storage reservoir. However, there are crisis pockets where normal water supply is required to be provided.

Further, some portions of the three boroughs, covering a total number of 25 wards, are served through groundwater by means of power-driven big diameter tubewell. KMC authority desires to replace ground water by treated surface water. It was learnt that the civic body’s water supply department carried out a detailed survey of the area and reached the conclusion that one new water treatment plant is required to be constructed for substitution of ground water by treated surface water.

For the construction of the water treatment plant, land was required. A Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) land was earmarked for the project. It was learnt that the KMDA issued permission to KMC for handing over and taking over of permissive possession of land for constructing the proposed water treatment plant on the eastern flank of EM Bypass near the junction of Garia Station Road to provide filtered water to portion of Jadavpur-Tollygunge area.

Since the KMDA already has an existing water intake jetty at Bhut Ghat at Garden Reach Road for its water treatment plant in Sonarpur, it was decided that the raw water supply from the Hooghly River for the KMC water treatment plant will be drawn from the Bhut Ghat water pumping station of KMDA. Along with the civic body’s 10 MGD water treatment plant a clear water reservoir and pumping station will also be set up at the designated spot. The total estimated cost of the project, including the maintenance and operation cost for 10 years, is Rs 78,53,84,600. Funds will be provided under the AMRUT scheme. The tender process has been completed while the civic body is learnt to have given the approval for issuance of work order.