Residents and business owners in several key areas of central Kolkata, including China Bazar, Brabourne Road, Netaji Subhas Road, Strand Road, Bonfield Lane, and Chura Market, can finally look forward to a potential end to their persistent water woes by the coming summer. This hope stems from a crucial initiative taken by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's (KMC) water supply department to address a long-standing infrastructural failure.
Pipe Replacement Project Awaits Green Signal
The core of the problem has been an old and worn-out water pipeline in the Burrabazar-BBD Bag belt, which has developed cracks, leading to a severe water crisis. The KMC water supply department is now poised to start replacing this damaged pipe. According to a civic official, the plan involves not just replacing the old pipe but also linking it to another pipeline to ensure a robust supply of potable water in large volumes.
However, the execution of this relief project is currently on hold. The department is awaiting necessary permission from the traffic wing of the Kolkata Police to begin the replacement work, which will likely involve road digging and cause temporary disruptions. A department official expressed urgency, stating, "Once we obtain permission, we will start work without delay and try to wind up by the end of Jan." This timeline is critical to ensuring improved water supply before the peak demand of summer.
Councillor's Push and Broader North Kolkata Plan
The project gained momentum after local councillor Santosh Kumar Pathak raised the pressing issue at the KMC House in December. Pathak had been vocal about the crisis for a long time, lamenting the lack of concrete action. While welcoming the current project, he emphasized the need for results, saying, "It is heartening that the KMC water supply department took up a project to augment water supply in the Burrabazar-BBD Bag area. But the civic body should try its best to supply adequate water from next summer."
This pipe replacement is part of a larger strategy to overhaul water supply in north Kolkata. A KMC source revealed a pre-existing plan to rejuvenate the Jorabagan water treatment plant. Currently, this plant's capacity remains underutilized due to a shortage of raw water from the Hooghly, as the Mallickghat pumping station fails to meet daily demand.
Long-Term Solution for Multiple Neighborhoods
The broader plan aims to ensure adequate water for residents in extensive parts of north Kolkata, including:
- Rabindra Sarani
- Burrabazar
- BBD Bag
- Jorabagan
- Pathuriaghata Street
- Madan Mohon Burman Road
- Beadon Street
- Jorasanko
- Parts of Chittaranjan Avenue
To achieve this, the water supply department was tasked with laying pipelines from Mayer Ghat in Bagbazar as an alternative source to supply abundant raw water to the Jorabagan plant. An official noted, "We are in the dark about this plan at present. But we ensured that the Jorabagan water treatment plant does not suffer from a shortage of raw water during any crisis."
The success of the immediate pipe replacement in the commercial heart of the city, coupled with the long-term augmentation plans, could bring much-needed and lasting relief to thousands of Kolkatans who have endured an unreliable water supply for too long.
