The Hindu : Sonia Vihar plant to ease water crisis

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 22, 2002

Other States

Other States - New Delhi

Sonia Vihar plant to ease water crisis

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI JUNE 21. The Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, today formally laid the foundation stone of the Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant in East Delhi -- considered to be a key towards solving the water problem of the Capital.

Being constructed with French co-operation by its water major, Degremont, at an estimated cost of Rs. 188.8 crores, the Sonia Vihar plant with a capacity of 140 MGD (million gallon per day) would cater to the needs of East and South Delhi. It is to be noted that the Capital faces a huge shortage of about 160 MGD as the combined capacity of water treatment plants here is 640 MGD against the requirement of 800 MGD.

Addressing people after laying the foundation stone of the plant, construction on which began in December, Ms. Dikshit said it was a dream coming true for Delhiites as availability of additional 140 MGD in a water scarce Capital would change the face of the city. "It will go a long way in solving the water problem of the Capital,'' she said.

Speaking on the occasion, the French Ambassador, Bernard De Monte, termed the plant as a symbol of Indo-French cooperation. The raw water for this plant would come from the Tehri Dam via upper Ganga Canal up to Murad Nagar in Uttar Pradesh and then through a 3,250 mm diameter conduit, to Delhi.The construction of the conduit is being done by the National Building Construction Company (NBCC) on behalf of the U.P. Jal Nigam, which has been paid for this line by the Delhi Government. ''This work is expected to be completed by April 2003,'' Ms Dikshit informed.

Simultaneously, the work for providing and laying of clear water transmission mains over 34 kms in East Delhi is being done by Larsen and Turbo at an estimated cost of Rs. 113 crores. Also the work for laying of water transmission mains to various parts of South Delhi from ITO is expected to be completed before the commissioning of the project. Similarly the DJB is also in the process of constructing as many as 28 under-ground reservoirs in East and South Delhi. Many of these reservoirs are in various stages of completion.

Those at G.T. Road Shahdara, Yamuna Vihar, Trilok Puri, Chittaranjan Park and Munirka have already been completed.

"The objective is to ensure that the entire distribution system is ready along with the Sonia Vihar Water Treatment Plant,'' Ms. Dikshit said.

Among others who spoke on the occasion were the Delhi Urban Development Minister, A.K. Walia, the DJB Vice-Chairman, Shadi Ram, area MLA, Sahib Singh Chauhan, and local Councillors, Savita Sharma and S.C. Tiwari.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

Stories in this Section

Sheila's prescription to end Delhi woes

Uphill task of tracking robber gangs

`Movies do no honour for Bhagat Singh'

Cong. portrays Chautala anti-farmer

Sonia Vihar plant to ease water crisis

A garden for all senses, and seasons