Kolkata Mayor Inaugurates Two New Water Supply Facilities
Mayor Firhad Hakim officially opened two significant water supply facilities in Kolkata on Thursday, marking a major step in improving the city's water infrastructure. The inauguration took place at locations in the Charu Avenue area and near Vivekananda Park on Southern Avenue.
New Infrastructure Details
The newly inaugurated facilities consist of two underground water reservoirs that also function as capsule booster water pumping stations. These installations are designed to provide reliable water access to thousands of residents across different neighborhoods.
The pumping station in the Charu Avenue area was specifically constructed to serve residents who previously depended heavily on groundwater, including those living in parts of Jhaldar Math. Meanwhile, the facility on Anil Roy Road near Vivekananda Park will supply water to numerous households in that vicinity, according to officials from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's water supply department.
Future Expansion Plans
The KMC has ambitious plans to further develop water infrastructure throughout south Kolkata. Over the next two years, the civic body intends to construct approximately 15 additional capsule booster pumping stations, building upon the more than 20 such stations completed over the past two years.
Priority areas for this expansion include Jadavpur and Tollygunge, where the goal is to significantly reduce dependence on groundwater sources. The water supply department has identified these regions as needing enhanced water distribution systems.
Water Treatment Plant Enhancement
A crucial component of Kolkata's water supply improvement involves upgrading the Dhapa water treatment facility. The KMC has allocated approximately Rs 100 crore for this project, which must be completed within about six months. Currently, the Dhapa facility has a capacity of about 30 million gallons.
"We have decided to augment the Dhapa water treatment plant capacity by about 20 million gallons," explained a KMC official. "This decision followed a comprehensive survey of areas along EM Bypass. We need to expand the infrastructure at the existing treatment plant to provide water to additional neighborhoods along EM Bypass and in the Tollygunge-Jadavpur zone."
The enhancement of this treatment plant is essential for supplying potable water to the Tollygunge-Jadavpur zone and areas off EM Bypass, alongside the construction of the new Garia treatment plant.
Additional Treatment Plant Under Construction
The KMC is also progressing with the construction of another water treatment plant near the Dhalai Bridge area. This facility will serve residents of Garia, Patuli, Baghajatin Ramgarh, certain parts of Jadavpur, and the EM Bypass area.
This new plant will source water from the Hooghly River in Kidderpore and distribute it through pipelines along Tolly Nullah. Officials estimate that this water facility will become operational within approximately two years, further strengthening Kolkata's water supply network.
The combined efforts of inaugurating new facilities, expanding existing infrastructure, and constructing additional treatment plants represent a comprehensive approach to addressing Kolkata's water supply needs and reducing groundwater dependency across multiple neighborhoods.
