Cuttack, Aug. 7: After failing to make it to the top two slots for the smart city project, the authorities have again pinned hope for a makeover under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut) project.

The scheme is one of the mega projects of the central government, which aims to develop the infrastructure in around 500 Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities across the country.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Friday held the first city-level consultation meeting among with various stakeholders to chalk out a detailed roadmap so that a draft proposal could be prepared for the project.

"Nine cities from the state will be included under the Amrut scheme and the consultation meeting was held to prepare a draft action plan for the revamp," CMC commissioner Gyana Das said.

The project will include setting up of round-the-lock water supply, sewage, storm-water channels, pedestrian and transport facilities, and upgrade of parks and recreation centres.

Das added that all the departments had been asked to prepare a plan that will be sent to the state government for consideration and necessary approvals by August 31.

Officials of the public health department, the state sewerage board, the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA), and local councillors attended the meeting.

At present, piped drinking water supply is still a distant dream at several wards under the civic body and most areas are getting a daily quota for only two to three hours.

"We have asked the public health officials to focus on the quality of the drinking water. The old pipelines have to be replaced to prevent jaundice outbreak in the city," said ward No. 9 councillor Bikash Behera.

A public health official said a Rs 386-crore project was being prepared under the Amrut scheme.

The proposals includes Rs 218 crore for improvement of water supply in the city, Rs 56 crore for the replacement of old pipes, and laying of new pipes for around 200km to cover the wards facing water crisis.

"We have proposed for the replacement of old pipes in the first phase and construction of three water treatment plants and 20 overhead tanks, and also increase the water supply to six hours a day," public health executive engineer Arun Nayak said.