The Guwahati Jal Board, which now shoulders the responsibility of supplying 24x7 drinking water, has promised the residents of the city to complete all the civil work projects before December 2024.
At present, there are four ongoing water supply projects in Guwahati. The South Central Guwahati and North Guwahati Water Supply Project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The South East Guwahati Water Supply Project is under the Assam Urban Infrastructure Investment Program (AUIIP) and is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The South West Guwahati Water Supply Project which was initially under Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is now under the Guwahati Jal Board.
However, the scheduled completion of the South West Guwahati Water Supply Project is delayed as there was a significant shortage of funds.
When GMDA initiated the project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewal Urban Mission (JnNURM) program, the estimated Detailed Project Report (DPR) was ₹398.48 crores in 2007.
Due to a lack of funds in the JnNURM program, the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) could only sanction ₹280.94 crores in 2008. Gammon India Limited (GIL) was awarded the project but they could not deliver. Only a portion of the project was erected.
The stagnant state of the project finally got a push when the present day Government showed some interest. After GIL's negligence, the project was finally handed over to Larsen and Toubro (L&T) in October 2023.
The L&T secured a contract from the Guwahati Jal Board for the construction and commissioning of the remaining components of the 107 MLD Capacity South West Guwahati Water Supply Project.
The scope of work involves 84 Km of Ductile Iron (DI) pipeline, 3 Km of Mild Steel (MS) Pipeline, and 4 pre-settling tanks, along with associated electrical, mechanical, and instrumentation works for the existing Water Treatment Plant.
While speaking to GPlus, an official from the Guwahati Jal Board said, "Majority of the water supply projects are near completion. We are planning to complete it before December 2024. If the work continues smoothly we will be able to achieve it before time."
However, the official further added that the project under L&T is scheduled to be completed by November 2025.
Upon completion, the water supply projects will be under the operations of the Guwahati Jal Board. All operations and maintenance-related work will be executed by the board.
The implementation process will be taken care of after the projects are completed and given to the Guwahati Jal Board.
The Guwahati Jal Board was already under the scanner for its delayed implementation of the water supply scheme. Adding to that, several instances emerged where the lives of innocents were at risk due to a lack of systematic planning and faulty equipment.
In order to fast forward the process and achieve the deadline the authority should not neglect the near past and the consequences residents had to face.
Dhritiman Deka, a resident of Dispur while discussing the completion of the project said, "It is about time that the authority should complete the project. It's about to be a decade since the project started.”
“But, there is one fear about the quality of work they provide. The Kharguli incident was a disaster. There were also incidents of leakage in the Rajgarh area. They should not jeopardise the safety of residents in order to complete a task given by the higher-ups. Anyway, it is an election gimmick," Deka said.
Another resident of Jalukbari, Samudra Bharadwaj, while speaking to GPlus shared, "Such a long wait for a basic amenity. Isn't that a clear picture of how capable our authority is? It will be good if they stand by their words.”
“The entire city of Guwahati is like a cake for the Jal Board, they cut it to insert the pipes and cover it with a different layer,” Bharadwaj said, adding that there is a clash between the different departments in the process.
Bharadwaj said the PWD will build the roads, the Jal Board will dig them, and the Purba Bharati will drill the roads. And in the process, the residents suffer because of the total lack of coordination.
Upon asking about the restoration process of the roads, the official stated, "We acquire permission from the District Administration, Public Works Department and the Traffic Authority before starting any project. Once the work is complete, the restored site is inspected by the PWD. So, there should be no issue with that."
"There are certain hindrances for the public while the work is in process, but it is for the overall development of the city. All we can urge is their patience and cooperation," the official further added.
It is to be mentioned that, house service connections don't have any deadline as it is a continuous process.
With a tedious end of the year for the Guwahati Jal Board, the decision to complete the water supply projects within the mentioned time frame will be more challenging.
Expectations are high as the public has been waiting for a functional water supply system for a significant amount of time. It is a matter of time which will determine if the hopes are fulfilled.
