Patna, Feb. 22: Summer is around the corner but the state urban development department’s proposal to install 38 borings in the capital has not moved any further.

Sources in the department said whether Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) or Bihar Rajya Jal Parshad (BRJP) would take up the work or not is yet to be decided thus delaying the project. Water supply in the city would remain a problem area this summer too. The total cost of installing the borings would be approximately Rs 15 crore.

Sources said last year, the department had planned to install the new borings in the city in addition to the existing 96 functional borings in the corporation area. “However, the file is stuck, as it has not yet been decided whether PMC or the BRJP will take up the project. A detailed project report was also prepared a few months ago,” said a senior official of the department.

In addition to the borewells, overhead tankers were also proposed to be constructed. “At present, there are about 10 overhead tankers in the city and most of them are too old. At present, water is directly supplied to homes after being pumped and this method needs to be changed in view of the requirement of the city,” said Shashank Shekhar Sharma, executive officer, water supply department, PMC.

The city, at present, gets 325 million litres of water through BRJP, while most of the city is still dependent on independent boring.

Even as the future of the project hangs in the balance, the urban development department has come up with a mega water supply project—costing over Rs 425 crore—that aims to construct two water treatment plants.

While the one at Digha will treat surface water from Ganga to be supplied to the northern parts of the city, the other will be set up near Kankerbagh.

Once ready, PMC would be in a position to supply 135 litres of water per head everyday to the residents of the city, said PMC officials.

The plan involves installing 50 new tubewells in as many zones, in which the city would be divided for the purpose of water supply. To make the supply system self-sustaining, provisions for user charges have also been made. The supply system would generate a revenue of Rs 60 crore per annum, while an estimated sum of Rs 35 crore would have to be spent every year for keeping it in good state, said a source in PMC.

According to officials, after the PMC water supply channel is strengthened through the project, it would be made mandatory for every household to get a PMC water connection. “Presently, most households depend on its own borings. But it will be compulsory for them to get a PMC water connection after the two plants and the rest of the infrastructure are ready. Every house will also have a water meter installed and a rate will be fixed at which consumers would pay water bill. It will also put a check on the misuse of water,” the source added.