Mayor Afzal Imam (right) at the meeting with councillors at the Mauryalok office of Patna Municipal Corporation on Thursday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Decks have been cleared for awarding the integrated solid waste management project to a consortium of Jindal Urban Infrastructure Limited and MBM-Dallah for providing sanitation services to 62 wards in the capital.

Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC)-empowered standing committee on Thursday approved the project to be implemented by the Bihar Urban Infrastructure and Development Corporation (BUIDCo).

In its August 6 meeting, the standing committee had turned down the proposal, demanding a detailed representation for giving green light to the project.

The project was stuck when the PMC commissioner went on a three-week leave later. This prompted urban development and housing department minister Prem Kumar demand clearance of the project at the earliest.

At Thursday’s committee meeting, BUIDCo officials gave a detailed presentation on how the project would change the face of the capital in terms of cleanliness. Impressed, committee members, including mayor Afzal Imam and deputy mayor Rup Kumar Mahto, passed the project unanimously.

PMC, it was decided in the meeting, would identify one place in each of the 72 wards for construction of new overhead water tanks to tackle the problem of erratic supply. The initiative would be part of a Rs 534-crore comprehensive water supply project undertaken by the urban development and housing department. BUIDCo would construct and maintain the tanks on land allotted by PMC. A 9,00,000m pipeline network would be laid under the project by April 2014.

BUIDCo would renovate and maintain 19 night shelters in the municipal area for the poor and homeless.

The committee also cleared the renovation plan of Mauryalok shopping complex on Thursday. The plan includes adding four floors to all five blocks of the complex and installation of new water tanks and generators in all blocks. Plans are also afoot to install electronic gates at the complex to monitor vehicles.

In the meeting, BUIDCo officials expressed desire to take responsibility of maintaining some parks not looked after by PMC. A final decision on the issue was, however, not taken on Thursday.