Faridabad’s sewerage to get major overhaul, Rs 1,289 crore plan unveiled

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, July 28

The Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA) has unveiled a comprehensive plan worth Rs 1,289 crore to revamp the sewerage network in the city, aimed at addressing the civic needs as per the Master Plan of 2031.

The FMDA will soon approach the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, for a technical assessment or vetting of the project. It has also submitted the plan for approval to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

Plans to mitigate water shortage

• Faridabad faces a shortage of around 125 MLD of water and various irregularities and deficiencies in the current network.
• The construction of 22 new Ranney wells, 250 new tubewells, floodwater harvesting ponds and eight new boosting stations has been planned, along with the laying of a 500-km-long pipeline to ensure that total water availability reaches 700 MLD within the next six years.

“Vetting is the process of thoroughly investigating a job, company, or other entity before deciding to proceed with a joint project,” said an official. He mentioned that the FMDA has already released a tender worth Rs 25 crore for the cleaning of the main sewer lines, and the upgrade of the sewage network is proposed to be done according to the Master Plan.

The FMDA has taken over a 200-km-long sewage network from the Municipal Corporation, but a majority of the lines are currently choked and blocked due to improper upkeep or maintenance. The agency aims to conduct deep cleaning of all main lines (above 600 mm diameter) connected to the three major sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the city and relay some of the lines under the project.

The FMDA, which also handles the bulk supply lines of drinking water in the city, has already obtained a detailed technical analysis-cum-survey from IIT, Delhi, to effectively address the issues associated with the drinking water network. The city faces a shortage of around 125 MLD of water and complaints of various irregularities or deficiencies in the current network. With water pilferage and unauthorised connections being significant issues, the civic body has been unable to bill around 70 per cent of the connections, according to sources.

The construction of 22 new Ranney wells, 250 new tubewells, floodwater harvesting ponds and eight new boosting stations has been planned, along with the laying of a 500-km-long pipeline to ensure that total water availability reaches 700 MLD within the next six years. The state government recently approved a budget of Rs 2,600 crore for the FMDA.

The FMDA and state government will seek financial support from agencies like the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the NCR Planning Board and the AMRUT scheme of the Union Government for the proposed projects, said an official of the FMDA.

Vishal Bansal, Chief Engineer of the water and sewage section of the FMDA, said as the sewage upgrade project report has been submitted to the NMCG, work will commence after the approval and sanctioning of the required funds.