Darjeeling Hill: Rs 155 crore for faultless water flow- 30-odd tanks in the pipeline for Darjeeling

Darjeeling, Jan. 3.TT: The Centre has sanctioned a whopping Rs 155 crore to streamline the water distribution in Darjeeling, a move which will solve any glitch that might develop in the 60-year-old supply system even after the completion of the Balasun project.

The Rs 155 crore project envisages the laying of new pipes across the town and the construction of at least 35 tanks to ensure uninterrupted supply of water.

The Balasun project is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of January

“I have been told that funds to the tune of Rs155 crore have been released for the Darjeeling municipality. Once we get the funds, it will take one-and-a-half years to streamline the water distribution system as around 35 reservoirs have to be built across the town,” Amar Singh Rai, the chairperson of the Darjeeling municipality, told The Telegraph.

Tamal Das, the subdivisional officer of Darjeeling and a former administrator of the municipality, said he had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Central and state governments for the project in November 2011.

“I, as the administrator of the Darjeeling municipality, had signed an MOU with officials of the state government and the Centre to streamline the water distribution in the town. Around 80 per cent of the funds will come through the Jawarhalal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, while the rest of the project cost has to be borne by the state government and the Darjeeling municipality,” said Das.

The state urban development agency, which is under the state municipal affairs department, has been made the nodal agency of the project.

The civic chief said water from the Balasun would be pumped into two reservoirs at Tiger Hill from January end.

“The project is in its final stage. There was some opposition from people to the laying of pipes along the Jorebunglow stretch. However, the problem has been solved after I held a meeting with the residents last week. Water would be pumped from the Balasun river tentatively by the end of January,” said Rai.

The residents of Darjeeling have placed much hope on the Balasun project as the town is gripped by water scarcity. At the moment, Darjeeling requires about 15-18 lakh gallons of water everyday but the municipality is in a position to supply only 7-8 lakh gallons.

Under the Rs 55.86 crore scheme, water is expected to be pumped from the Balasun river, about 30km from Darjeeling. Pipes are being laid over a distance of 12km in two phases (with two pumping houses) and a lake is being constructed at Tiger Hill for distribution of water under the scheme.

Darjeeling is expected to receive around 2 million gallons of water from the project daily.

Sceptics had in the past said unless the distribution system in Darjeeling was streamlined, the Balasun project could not be utilised to the maximum.

“The distribution system has to be streamlined for proper supply. But officials of the water works department have told me that once the Balasun project starts functioning, we will be in a position to supply water regularly,” said Rai.

There are complaints from residents that many influential people are tapping water from the main supply lines illegally, causing erratic supply.

At the moment water is distributed from two reservoirs, one of which is at St Paul’s area and the other at Rockville area.