Residents of Khajekalan, Lohanipur and Pirmuhani might get some relief from the perennial drinking water crisis in their area by year-end.

Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo) has taken up a project to develop a water supply network in these areas after the civic body failed to implement it.

Water supply in these areas is pitiful now. “Most people depend on water supply from the municipality. Earlier, water was sourced from a borewell but it stopped functioning a few years ago. Residents are now having to queue up to collect water from the tankers,” Khajekalan resident Rajesh Rai said.

“The water supplied by tankers is not sufficient to quench the thirst of thousands of people who live in the area. So it is essential to have water supply pipelines for the area.”

The residents’ demands would soon be attended to.

BUIDCo would install a borewell each in the three wards. New pipelines would be integrated into the existing ones at several places. Officials of the corporation claimed that the work has been taken up on an urgent basis. It would be completed within six months after the contracts are awarded to selected firms.

“This scheme is aimed at improving the existing water supply network of these areas. It is damaged at a number of places. Initially, it was supposed to be undertaken by the Patna Municipal Corporation but the urban development and housing department recently handed it over to the BUIDCo,” said an official of the corporation, who did not want to be named.

He added: “As it is an urgent project, tenders have been floated immediately. We hope to award the work order to the selected firm within a month. It would take six months to complete the project.”

Around Rs 85 lakh would be spent on developing the water supply scheme at Khajekalan, Rs 83.44 lakh at Lohanipur and Rs 85.57 lakh at Pirmuhani. In 2010, the urban development and housing department sanctioned schemes for developing 38 new borewells and pump houses across the city.

The project was initially given to the PMC. However, the civic body could not award tenders for the project for over a year. Then, it was handed over to Bihar Rajya Jal Parishad in October 2011. Out of the 38 places, the parishad is working in 29 places at present. But the progress of work is slow.

Where the parishad has failed to meet targets, BUIDCo promises to step in.

“We shall execute water supply schemes in several more areas of the city, which are not covered by the the parishad, in the next couple of weeks,” said the BUIDCo official.

Residents are happy with the corporation’s plans.

“I’m glad that the government is taking steps to improve the water supply system in the city as the water we get now is often contaminated with waste,” said Lohanipur resident Kishore Shrivastva.