Water and sewer projects worth Rs 20,000 cr resume in 11 states
New Delhi: About 229 mega water and sewer projects worth Rs 20,000 crore have been restarted in 11 states during the current phase of lockdown. Urban affairs ministry statistics showed Maharashtra restarted maximum such projects.
Following relaxations in green zone districts, construction work was allowed with social distancing norms and standard operating procedures which included setting up of proper residential camps and quarantining labourers for 14 days at the work site before beginning work.
The ministry prioritised works under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), which aims to provide water and sewer connection to every household in 500 cities, developing green spaces and reducing pollution by switching to public transport or non-motorised transport.
Restarting projects under AMRUT was possible as several were in green zone towns and cities. Maharashtra government restarted 63 projects worth Rs 6,783 crore. Most projects have been started in districts with fewer cases, including Ahmednagar, Akola, Amravati, Beed and Dhule. Kerala, which has only 65 active Covid-19 cases, has started 52 projects worth Rs 276 crore. Madhya Pradesh, where the confirmed Covid-19 cases have increased to 4,426, has also started 49 projects worth Rs 4,338 crore. Even as major urban centres like Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain are witnessing Covid-19 spread, projects have been restarted away from the city centres. Bhopal, for instance, has restarted a sewerage network and sewage treatment plant for Kolar and nearby Salaiya town. Chhattisgarh has also restarted 24 projects worth Rs 1,444 crore. These include projects across the state in Raipur, Durg, Raigarh, Ambikapur, Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur and Bhillai Nagar.
Restarting projects under AMRUT was possible as several were in green zone towns and cities. Maharashtra government restarted 63 projects worth Rs 6,783 crore. Most projects have been started in districts with fewer cases, including Ahmednagar, Akola, Amravati, Beed and Dhule. Kerala, which has only 65 active Covid-19 cases, has started 52 projects worth Rs 276 crore. Madhya Pradesh, where the confirmed Covid-19 cases have increased to 4,426, has also started 49 projects worth Rs 4,338 crore. Even as major urban centres like Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain are witnessing Covid-19 spread, projects have been restarted away from the city centres. Bhopal, for instance, has restarted a sewerage network and sewage treatment plant for Kolar and nearby Salaiya town. Chhattisgarh has also restarted 24 projects worth Rs 1,444 crore. These include projects across the state in Raipur, Durg, Raigarh, Ambikapur, Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur and Bhillai Nagar.
The ministry has not found any major cost escalation in any project so far. A ministry spokesperson said, “cost escalation is applicable only if it is extraordinarily delayed. As of now with two month period lockdown at most, works are gradually starting in green zones.”
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