17% work complete on South East Guwahati water project: Baruah

Guwahati: About 17% of the work on the South East Guwahati water project has been completed, while 76% of the South West Guwahati water project and 93% of the South Central Guwahati and North Guwahati water projects are completed so far, housing and urban affairs minister Jayanta Malla Baruah stated.
Baruah shared the information in a written reply to questions raised by Congress MLA Nandita Das on Tuesday regarding the status of the water projects being implemented in Guwahati.
He subsequently apprised the House that pursuant to the recommendations of IIT Guwahati, surge protection equipment has been installed at the water treatment plant of the South Central Guwahati water project, which has a capacity of 191 million litres per day. Robotic surveillance to detect weak welding plates or joints is being conducted to prevent any potential pipeline rupture, which could cause damage to properties and endanger human lives. He added that strict monitoring of the valves and pipelines is being done regularly.
Baruah said state govt awarded the South West Guwahati water supply project to Gammon India Ltd in 2009, and over Rs 389 crore was allocated for it.
However, he added that Gammon India was terminated owing to the slow progress of the works, and L&T was awarded the project through fresh tendering, with over Rs 324 crore allocated freshly for the purpose.
Altogether, over Rs 713 crore has been allocated for the project. Guwahati Jal Board is looking after the implementation of the project, the minister said.
The minister added that Gammon India was also entrusted with the South Central Guwahati water project but was later terminated for not yielding desired results.
Over Rs 1426 crore was allocated for the South Central Guwahati and North Guwahati water projects, of which over Rs 1369 crore has already been released. Both projects are being implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The minister said the deadline for completion of the South East Guwahati water project is 2029, and the authorities concerned have been directed to complete the other projects in time.