A team of the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has suggested that automated water metres be installed as part of the under-construction water pipeline scheme in Maharashtra's Aurangabad city, officials said on Wednesday.
A team of the Union government's Drink From Tap initiative along with Water Attaché of Israel Dr Lior Asaf and Aurangabad commissioner Abhijit Choudhary took a stock of the scheme. Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Karad chaired the review meeting.
The scheme aims to provide drinking water round-the-clock in the city. Currently, residents receive water once every four to six days. While initially the government had sanctioned Rs 1,680 crore for the scheme, its cost has now crossed Rs 2,700 crore, said an official of the Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Ltd.
"The central team has suggested that automated water meters be installed. It also suggested that the scheme be designed in such a way that water can be taken to a height of 21 meters using boosters or pumps instead of the planned 12 meters," Karad told PTI.
A study will be undertaken to install 2.8 lakh meters in the city, he said, adding that the government will bear the additional cost. The scheme aims at providing 24-hour water to the city till 2052. Water will be lifted from the Jayakwadi dam on the Godavari river and brought to Nakshatrawadi filtration plant which is 39.2 km away, another official said.
(With PTI inputs)
