Patna: Mayor Sita Sahu said on Friday that Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) will build three overhead water tanks, each of 5 lakh litre capacity, in Patna City on its own expenditure.

"The company supposed to construct 18 overhead water tanks in Patna was blacklisted, thereby stalling the project for three years," Sahu told The Telegraph.

"We enquired from the urban development and housing department and got to know that no further tender was floated to select any new company to execute the project. So, we are going to take the responsibility of building the three overhead water tanks. We will get the detailed project report made so as to ascertain the expected expenditure on the project," said Sahu, adding that the old water pipelines will be repaired in Patna City.

Residents of Patna City said the PMC's move will benefit them.

"The three water tanks have been defunct for the past many years. Residents here have been forced to install private water pumps, which has caused immense pressure on the water table. This has also led to the drying up of the handpumps," said Ramesh Aggarwal, a businessman in Patna City.

PMC sources said the existing water supply network of the city, which is over 60 years old, is almost defunct and is unable to cater to residents.

According to estimates, 52 per cent of the 2 million population of Patna is dependent on municipal water supply and the remaining 48 per cent are dependent on private sources such tube wells and bore wells.

Tubewells pump water directly to distribution centres under the existing municipal water supply system. The distribution hubs have 23 overhead water tanks. Of them, only four are in use.

The condition of municipal water supply pipeline is also dismal. Of around 750km of pipeline, several parts were found damaged and are in the need of urgent repair.

Damaged pipelines not only lead to supply of contaminated water to houses but also lead to excessive pressure on the groundwater table.

"PMC will execute a lot of projects on its own. Recently, the general board of PMC approved the proposal of converting all leasehold properties of Patna Regional Development Authority into freehold," added Sahu.

"The proposal has now been sent to the urban development and housing department. If the department approves, it will be sent to the cabinet for the final nod. The conversion of leasehold into freehold property will help the corporation earn revenue of around Rs 600 crore. The increased revenue will help us take up many civic projects on our own," said the mayor.