A solution, in the pipeline

MUMBAI, Sept 7: Mira-Bhayander may finally see an end to its water woes. Work on a new Rs 132-crore pipeline project, which will provide ...

MUMBAI, Sept 7: Mira-Bhayander may finally see an end to its water woes. Work on a new Rs 132-crore pipeline project, which will provide the township with an additional 50 million litres of water every day, is likely to begin soon.

All formalities have been completed, and actual construction work will begin next month, sources in the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Council MBMC informed.According to Ajit Kapadnis, water engineer of MBMC, the present consumption of water in Mira-Bhayander8217;s municipal limits is nearly 31 MLD. But because of leakages and other technical problems, only 25 MLD reaches the council.

8220;The new pipeline will originate from Ulhas river on the Central suburbs and reach Bhayander along the Shahad-Temhgar-Patlipada Thane-Ghodbunder route,8221; he said.

Out of the total project cost of Rs 132 crore, sources said, Rs 75 crore have been supplied by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA, and the state government has contributed Rs 57 crore. The money has been depositedwith the Maharashtra Water Supply and Sewerage Board MWSSB, a state government undertaking. 8220;The state government finalised the project two years ago, but as other formalities took a long time to be completed, commencement of work was delayed,8221; sources said.

Yakub Qureshi, chairman of the MBMC water supply committee said MMRDA and MWSSB have already signed the agreement for commencement of work.

Asked why work hasn8217;t begun even after completion of formalities, Qureshi said it will start after Chief Minister Manohar Joshi performs the bhoomi-poojan ceremony. 8220;The CM has been busy in Mumbai for the last two months. We should be able to finalise the exact date of the ceremony by the end of this month,8221; he said. However, local residents are doubtful if a cash-strapped MBMC will be able to repay the loan amount to MMRDA. M V Mhatre, president of the local Janata Dal unit, said: 8220;It8217;s good that Mira-Bhayander will finally get ample water. But the council, which has agreed to pay Rs 4.50 crore peryear to MMRDA, may find it difficult to do so.8221; MBMC officials, however, clarified the necessary budgetary provisions had been made in the 1998-99 budget.

Chief Officer of MBMC Kalyan Kelkar said the issue of illegal water connections to residential and commercial complexes is also being tackled seriously. Recently, four MBMC staff were caught red-handed while installing an illegal connection and suspended.