The cash-strapped Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) will hand over 18 water pumping stations to the civic body, in an attempt to cut down costs.

Teams from the CMDA and the civic body are now inspecting the pumps.

The pumping stations — in Mahestala, Garden Reach, Behala, Garia, Jadavpur and Bansdroni — were built by the CMDA in phases and have been functioning since 1982. The Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) had then agreed to take over the pumping stations, but later backed out.

“Running the pumping stations has become expensive. The CMC has finally agreed to take them over,” said D.K. Pandit, executive engineer, CMDA.

Initially, the pumps were run by agencies appointed by the CMDA. But the expenses were mounting, prompting the authorities to form the Contract Workers’ Cooperative Society, under the Ganga Action Plan, to run the pumps. Even after that, the CMDA has to cough up Rs 18 crore a year.

The move, however, has created a flutter among the staff. “We want to know whether our working conditions will remain the same,” said Asoke Goswami, chairman of the workers’ cooperative society.