With the rising water crisis in India, water management needs to create a model which helps citizens get water on a daily basis. Here is what Mr. Arun Lakhani CMD of Vishvaraj Infrastructure Limited, VIL has to say – What is required is an integrated approach to water management, by integrated approach we need to see the complete water cycle as a whole. So we detect it from a source, then the treatment part then the distribution part then the customer service part. So if you have 24×7 in the distribution part that definitely improves not only the water quality & drinking water but also saves water. Then comes the second very important part is the sewage treatment. Sewage treatment and the reuse of sewage treated water complete the cycle.
The growing mismanagement of water in the city forced authorities to come up with the solution.The entire integrated water management project for Nagpur began with a simple concept that we want to have a continuous water supply sustaining Nagpur that means 24×7 water supply has to be provide to all the individual citizens. It was decided to improve the efficiency and bring in the new technology, a private sector expertise & to ensure that equitable water distribution this entire concept of 24×7 water supply or continuous water supply was brought in.
24×7 water supple project was conceptualized to convert the terms of water supply to a round the clock one by equitable distribution. The project kicked off with replacement of leaking pipes and house service connection. The target of Nagpur24x7 water supply project is to replace 600 kilometers of pipelines in the city and provide 3, 25,000 house service connections. It also aims to provide services like metering, billing, collection and customer service 3, 25,000 consumers. The project aims to undertake the operation and maintenance of water treatment plant to the capacity of 725 million liters per day.
Shama from a small town shares what she feels: Jo water tariff hai, jo janta se hum lete hai who kaisa hona chahiye hum neh iski pura uska abhyas kiya, uske baad humne pure shahar meh kuch alag alsg zone meh kaam shuru kiya jaha paani ki bahut zyada dikaat thi. Iss shahar meh aisa tha sirf ek din aad paani aatta tha, khali dus minute paani aata tha, kahi bees minute paani aata tha, toh kahi baara baara ghante bhi paani aata tha aur equitable distribution of water iss tart par hum aage bade.
Mr. Arun Lakhani CMD of Vishvaraj Infrastructure Limited, VIL has to say – The important part of Nagpur 24×7 contract is that it is very inclusive model. It provides for a tap in every household, irrespective whether it is in the slum area or the flat schemes and the bungalow area. Second thing, it is the sovereign rights are with the Nagpur Muncipal Corporation, the rights of connection disconnection, the rights to decide tariff to be charged to people: citizens and the ownership of all the assets remains with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
The enormous staff to provide water to every household in Nagpur required huge financial investment. Hence, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation went for a public private partnership model. The ensuing bid for the project was won by a joint venture Vishvaraj and Veolia Water France. The two entities bring together their local and global expertise and create a sustainable water project, which benefit the citizens of India.