The goal of the Jal Board, Guwahati department has been to finish all civil work projects by December 2024. There are currently four ongoing water supply projects under the department: the South East Guwahati Water Supply Project under the Assam Urban Infrastructure Investment Program (AUIIP), funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB); the South Central and North Guwahati Water Supply Project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); and the South West Guwahati Water Supply Project currently under the Jal Board but formerly under the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).
Unfortunately, due to a severe lack of funding, the South West Guwahati Water Supply Project is not expected to be completed by the deadline. In 2007, the anticipated Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project, which was started by GMDA under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewal Urban Mission (JnNURM) program, was ₹398.48 crore.
The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) could only approve ₹280.94 crore in 2008 due to a shortage of funding for the JnNURM initiative. 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 September 2023. However, later in 2009, the original estimate was worth ₹355.31 crore and by 2016 as per the approved revised protocol the estimate was increased to ₹389.58 crore.
The Guwahati Jal Board (GJB) awarded L&T a contract for the building and commissioning of the last parts of the 107 MLD Capacity South West Guwahati Water Supply Project. The scope of work includes associated mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation works for the current water treatment plant, as well as 84 km of ductile iron (DI), 3 km of mild steel (MS), and 4 pre-settling tanks.
Upon assuming control, L&T finished around 1.39% of the work. For the project, a total of ₹377.98 crore was used.
A Guwahati Jal Board official stated, "Most of the water supply projects are near completion," while talking to GPlus. Our goal is to finish it by December 2024. We can accomplish it ahead of schedule if the work goes well."
The official did, however, also state that November 2025 is when the L&T project is expected to be finished.
Meanwhile, in a recent question-hour session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ashok Singhal replied to several questions related to the projects of GJB saying, "The water supply schemes in Guwahati have been completed up to 82%, the remaining work shall be completed around December 2024. The South-East Water Supply Project has been completed up to 17% under AUIIP Phase-I. Since the launch of the project under AUIIP Phase-II, a time limit of 5 years has been fixed for the completion of the project. Soon partial water supply is planned to be started in some areas."
The Guwahati Jal Board was already been 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.
Jigyas 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 Kharghuli incident was a disaster. Similarly, the Rajgarh incident. 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."
Another resident of Jalukbari, Pobitro 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 enough if they stand up to their words. Anyway, the entire city is a cake for Jal Board, they cut it inserted a pipe and covered it with a different layer. It's a clash between the departments leading to disoriented roads, lanes etc."
Ajoy Kumar Dutta, Padmashree Awardee, Former legislator and a prominent social worker from Guwahati said, "With deep remorse, I am bound to speak against the department of GJB, that it has failed us. It has been a torture throughout, their unplanned decisions have costed the lives of many. I don't have any trust in them anymore. All I want to request from the department is to not repeat the same mistakes, they should strategise a proper map regarding pipelines so that there won't be any issues locating them. I believe a department which goes against the assembly decision cannot alleviate the situation for the public. They are totally out of control. Proper planning should have been a priority."
Upon asking about the restoration process of the roads, a GJB official stated, "We acquire the permission from 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.
The decision to complete the water supply projects within the mentioned time frame will be a daunting task as numerous projects are ongoing. 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.
