Panvel residents will not face water shortage after three years as the state government has selected contractor to execute Rs 408 crores Amrut Water Scheme project to supply 228 MLD water in the area. The project was already approved around four years ago. However, the tender for selection of contractor was pending due to technical reasons.
Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) faces acute water shortage during summer and there are areas that get water once in two to three days. The civic body has welcomed the decision and expressed that water crisis will end soon.
Trupti Sandbhor, additional municipal commissioner of PMC who also holds the Water Supply department confirms that development. Sandbhor says that the project will be executed by the MJP and the civic body will get 100 MLD water after completion of the project. “At present, the PMC requires 220 MLD water. However, there is a shortfall of 30 MLD water due to which there is a problem during summer,” said Sandbhor. However, he added that by the time the corporation will start getting additional water, the demand will also rise, but 100 MLD water will be sufficient to manage the situation.
A total of 228 MLD water will be available from Panalganga river to Panvel after completion of the scheme. While the PMC will get 100 MLD of water, MMRDA area 19 MLD, JNPT port 40 MLD and CIDCO areas will get 69 MLD respectively. The project is being executed by the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP).
The AMRUT water supply scheme has been planned, keeping in mind the requirements of the population of PMC areas by 2050 when it is slated to reach 20 lakhs. The scheme will also benefit areas under CIDCO, JNPT and MMRDA.
The contract has been awarded to GVPR Engineering Limited and Rs 247 crores have also been approved for initial works like laying of pipeline, setting up water treatment plant among others.
PMC Mayor Dr Kavita Chouthmal and Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur raised the issue with the state secretariate about acute water shortage in the Panvel area during summer. While expressing happiness over the decision, Thakur said that due to the lackadaisical attitude of some officials at the state secretariat, the decision of choosing a contractor was pending for four years. “Now, the tap in Panvel will never dry after the project completes,” said Thakur. He added that work is likely to start in a month.
