Smart City firm for joint venture

* Tender to be floated soon

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Now, a tender will again be floated in a week’s time to start the project. As per the new criteria, two companies may form a joint venture and participate in the bid to carry out the work.

24X7 water supply project

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 21

Having earlier failed to find any takers for its much-touted Rs160 crore 24X7 water supply project in Mani Majra, Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) has now decided to offer it via joint venture.

Now, a tender will again be floated in a week’s time to start the project. As per the new criteria, two companies may form a joint venture and participate in the bid to carry out the work.

After no firm had come forward to show any interest in the project, private firms had suggested that a joint venture should be allowed. Following this, it was left on the technical committee meeting to take a call. It was approved in the technical committee meeting held today. This was confirmed by CSCL General Manager NP Sharma.

There are two components — capital and installation of water meters — under this project. A total of 13,700 water connections have been planned to be covered in Mani Majra under this project. One of the main focus areas is to reduce water leakage from the existing 50 per cent to 15 per cent.

Once a successful participant is selected, the contractor will have to complete the work in one and a half years. As per the plan, pipelines will be laid in the outer parts as well as inside the houses to keep water contamination at bay.

Earlier, the Municipal Corporation used to lay down pipelines till the outer areas of houses. People used to misuse it by connecting pipelines on their own. This used to lead to water contamination.

After carrying out this pilot project, Chandigarh Smart City Limited will start the work on providing 24X7 water supply in the entire city.

The CSCL will be borrowing Rs440 crore on interest at the rate of two per cent from a French firm. It will pay Rs60 crore available with it, while the remaining Rs380 crore will be paid through consumers by increasing water bills effective from 2027.

The technical committee also approved an agenda regarding upgrade of a sewage treatment plant and renovation of 40 public toilets.