GMC Water Supply Projects under Repair, Guwahati to Witness Water Crisis

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Aug 16: Three old water supply projects under the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) are functioning way behind the actual capacity. While repair works of the projects are reportedly underway, a larger part of Greater Guwahati is likely to will face water crisis in the coming days. In some areas the crisis has already begun.

So far as the Panbazar water supply project is concerned, it has a capacity of 45 MLD (Million Litres daily). The project that began in 1963, present has a capacity of 22.5 MLD with a large number of machines having gone defunct. The project covers areas like parts of Panbazar, Fancy bazaar, Kumarpara, Bharulumukh, Kalibari, Rehabari, Lachitnagar, Gandhibasti, Sarania, Rajgarh and Chhatribari.

In the matter of Satpukhuri project established in 1930 and modified in 1984, the capacity is 22.50 MLD. However its present capacity is 15 MLD. This project covers areas like parts of Uzanbazar, Kharghuli, Chenikuthi, Guwahati Club, Silpukhuri, Nabagraha, Dighalipukhuri, Nizarapaar, Chandmari, Hedayetpur, Milanpur, Bamunimaidam and Rajgarh Road.

The third such old water supply project of the GMC is the Kamakhya project with a capacity of 4.5 MLD. Presntly, the project is working to the capacity of 2.5 MLD. It covers two locations - Nilachal Hill and Kamakhya Temple area

While the projects are old and the machineries too are old involving old outdated technology. As of now, major portions of all the three projects are in defunct state. In the Panbazar project, majority of the 60 machines are not functioning.

Recently the Assam Government has sanctioned Rs 9 crore to the GMC for repair of the machines and presently repair works of the machines have begun in the Kamakhya project GMC officials have said that since the machines have gone old huge repair of the same will be necessary and that the repair process is likely to take around one month. They are also of the view that once the machines become fully functional, pumping of water to the full capacity would be possible and that the problem of water shortage in the city would disappear.