Capital’s VVIP lutyens’ Zone, including Kautilya Marg, Panchsheel Marg, Shantipath, Chanakya Puri, Netaji Nagar and Moti Bagh will soon start getting round-the-clock water supply.
For the purpose, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), which is responsible for supply of potable water to these localities, may rope in a few private players. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) pertaining to entailing water audit and consumer survey has already been prepared and submitted to the Delhi Government. The project will be funded under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and is expected to be on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The Government has now sought response from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on DPR submitted by the council. It is DJB which supplies water to NDMC in bulk, which in turn distributes the same to residents of colonies falling under its jurisdiction. At present, these areas get water twice a day, in the morning and evening. Total demand of the region is 225-230 Million litres per Day (MlD). The Jal Board is supplying 115 MlD and about 15 MlD is being supplemented through deep tube-wells of NDMC. There is a shortage of 95-100 MlD water in the area.
Sources told The Pioneer that the Delhi Government has received a DPR for improvement and revamping the existing water supply system — including water audit, consumers survey, GIS mapping, measures to reduce non-revenue water, achievement of service level, benchmark and upgrading the system for continuous water supply to the command area of NDMC. It is noteworthy that DJB is working on a similar plan to provide round-the-clock water supply in Malviya Nagar, Mehrauli and Vasant Vihar areas of South Delhi through PPP model.
“Given the constraints on raw water supply, NDMC needs to manage its water demand within the present water availability, for achieving continuous supply. It is necessary to correctly assess weaknesses in our distribution network,” said sources. According to sources, Bharti Nagar was chosen unanimously as the colony where the project will be started. Bharti Nagar has mixed dwellings — commercial, residential, Government units and flats of Members of Parliament and MlAs.
As a first step, a water audit, house to house consumer survey, GIS mapping of water network and hydraulic modeling will be carried out. This will also help the civic body identify unmetered consumption. A site survey will be carried out to decide the alignment of pipelines and to check whether additional facilities like line boosters and sluice valves are needed. The consultant will also help NDMC identify a competent agency which will be appointed on a PPP model.