Meghalaya: Tura to Receive Adequate Water Supply by 2028

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The people of Tura town will soon have access to a dependable and sustainable water supply, with the state government investing approximately ₹398.48 crore to address the town’s persistent water shortages. The project, known as the Tura Greater Urban Water Supply Scheme, is funded by the Government of India through Special Assistance on Capital Investment and is expected to be completed within 24 to 36 months.

Minister in charge of Public Health Engineering (PHE), Marcuise N. Marak, emphasized the significance of the initiative, stating, “The Tura Greater Urban Water Supply Scheme was long pending. It was conceptualized a long time back, but due to several reasons, we could not get the sanction. Fortunately, under the leadership of Conrad Sangma, we were able to get the project sanctioned, and we have recently laid the foundation stone in Tura. A large number of people will benefit, as Tura is the fastest-growing town in Garo Hills.”

He further elaborated on the phased development of Tura’s water supply infrastructure. “Three phases of the Tura Water Supply Scheme have already been completed. The first and second phases were later augmented, but even that was not sufficient. In the meantime, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) covered the peripheral areas of Tura town. To distribute water to these areas, we needed an additional source and another project. Through the Bulk Water Supply Scheme, we secured a sanction to augment the JJM for Tura’s periphery areas. This reduced the burden on the urban water supply scheme, which had been supplying water to villages close to town,” he explained.

Marak highlighted the scope of the fourth phase, stating, “This is the fourth phase, called the Tura Greater Urban Water Supply Scheme. We will construct a large reservoir downstream of the Ganol River, from where water will be pumped and supplied to the remaining parts of Tura. Once completed, this project will benefit over 1.06 lakh families in Tura town. The completion deadline is set for 24 to 36 months, and we aim to finish before the next elections.”

The Tura Urban Water Supply Scheme will include the construction of a new storage dam, two-stage pumping stations, a water treatment plant, feeder mains, zonal reservoirs, and an advanced distribution network. By utilizing the consistent dry-weather discharge from the Ganol River, the scheme ensures a reliable supply of clean water to meet the town’s growing demand. The project aims to provide 135 liters of water per capita per day, factoring in wastage, institutional needs, and the floating population.

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