Siliguri Municipal Corporation begins preps for third mega drinking water proj

Siliguri: Following the completion of the first phase of the second mega drinking water project, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has commenced preparations for a third drinking water project. The proposed project will be constructed within the Baikunthapur Forest Division in Jalpaiguri district, with approval already granted by the Forest department.

Mayor Gautam Deb confirmed that an administrative meeting was recently held to discuss the technical aspects of the project. “We have already talked about the project. The project will be built in an area under the Forest department. We held an administrative meeting about it. Many technical parts are there to start the project, which will take time,” Deb said. The drinking water supply has been a long-standing issue for Siliguri residents, as the city currently depends on a single water processing unit, which struggles to meet the growing demand across all wards. Upon assuming control of the SMC board, the Trinamool Congress-led administration prioritised addressing this problem. To mitigate the crisis, an alternative intake tank was recently established in the Fulbari area. Additionally, the first phase of the second mega drinking water project, which involves sourcing water from Gajoldoba, has been completed. The second phase will include the creation of a pond. The pipeline installation for the phase has already been completed.

As part of the third project, pipelines will be laid through forest land. According to sources, the district administration must provide an equivalent amount of alternative land to the Forest department to proceed. The compensatory land will be allocated from Alipurduar district. District Magistrates of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar have been instructed to expedite the necessary procedures to facilitate the project’s implementation.

The third mega drinking water project is expected to significantly improve the water supply infrastructure in Siliguri, addressing one of the city’s most critical needs.