After an extremely slow start, the state government authorities have fast-tracked the Surya Regional Water Supply Scheme, aimed at bringing a permanent end to the water woes of Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar.
With the Surya Dam at Dhamani village in Jawhar as the source of raw water, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has embarked on a mission to provide bulk water supply amounting to 403 million litres a day (MLD) which will be divided to Mira Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar in a proportion of 218 MLD and 185 MLD respectively.
Pipeline laying work| FPJ Photo
A team from the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) led by the civic body chief Dilip Dhole along with their Vasai-Virar counterparts and senior MMRDA officials met on Friday to review the progress of the project. Carrying an estimated price tag of Rs 1325.78 crores, the gravity transmission project is being executed by multinational giant - M/s Larsen & Toubro Ltd.
The design, build, maintain, operate and transfer project envisages laying of pipelines on a stretch of 98 km’s having underground tunnels, raw and pure water pumping stations, sub-stations, water treatment and chlorination plants, break pressure towers and master balancing reservoirs.
Surya water project work| FPJ Photo
"Our entire team under the guidance of the municipal commissioner is coordinating with all other agencies to ensure the project is fast-tracked and completed on time to ensure ample water supply for the twin-city." said city engineer Shivaji Barkund.
While work of gravity mains between most of the stretches is in the advanced stages, the purification process apparatus and pipeline work has registered 30 % and 50 % completion respectively.
The project is expected to get completed in April-2023. “Although the MMRDA will execute the work of lifting water and channelize it to the doorstep of the twin-city, the MBMC will shoulder the responsibility of overhauling internal water distribution system.” said, executive engineer- Suresh Vakode.
This will incur expenses amounting to more than Rs. 400 crore which the MBMC plans to source from Maharashtra Suvarna Jayanti Nagarotthan Maha-Abhiyan.
