Cuttack, Sept. 30: Foundation stone for the Japanese government-funded Rs 754.44 crore integrated sanitation project for Cuttack city will be laid finally, more than two years after the survey was completed.
“Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will lay the foundation stone for the state-of-the-art sewage and drainage project tomorrow,” mayor Saumendra Ghosh said today.
For a city plagued with poor drainage and sewer system, the mega project spells hope for the local residents. It is supposed to fix problems of temporary inundation within the city during periods of heavy rain.
“After completion of the project, the city will get separate drainage and sewer systems. The sanitary condition will get better and the quality of water in the surrounding rivers will improve,” Ghosh said. The project is supposed to be completed by the end of 2014.
The Japanese government is sourcing Rs 624.65 crore through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as loan to be repaid by the state government in 40 years with a moratorium period of 10 years. The remaining cost will be borne by the state government.
The project is being implemented by Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board under the housing and urban development department and is being managed by Project Management Consultants, Consortium of Tokyo Engineering Consultants (Japan), Tetra Tech Inc of USA and Egis BCEOM International of France. Cuttack Municipal Corporation is the main stakeholder of the project.
Along with 230km of underground gravity sewers and pumping stations across the city, the project includes sewage treatment plants at Bidanasi, Matagajpur and Banabidyadharpur to facilitate smooth drainage of storm water into the rivers during periods of heavy rainfall.
Corporation officials said an additional 52 million litres of waste water would be treated daily at these plants in addition to the 33 million litres that is being treated now and safely discharged into Mahanadi and Kathajodi rivers without polluting them.
To improve drainage facilities, 30km of the existing two main storm water drains and connecting drains of the city will be renovated under the project.
