The state government has taken up the Siliguri mega drinking water supply project and seeks to implement it jointly with the Centre, Gautam Deb, who chairs the board of administrators of Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), said on Monday.

“The state government is keen to start work on the new drinking water project for Siliguri and has decided to approach the Centre for funds under Jal Jeevan Mission,” said Deb.

Twenty years back, a drinking water project was taken up in Siliguri. But with rising population and rapid urbanisation, the existing project proved inadequate.

“That is why a second project, with an estimated cost of Rs 470 crore, was planned after Trinamul came to power. It was decided water will be directly drawn from the Teesta river and a new filtration plant, with a network of distribution pipes and reservoirs, would be set up in the city,” said a source in the civic body.

Told that Jal Jeevan Mission is meant for rural drinking water supply, Deb said they had information that the Centre was preparing fresh modalities of the scheme.

“It is true that right now the scheme is applicable only for rural areas but the central government is readying new modalities so that the scheme can be extended to urban areas. Modalities are expected to be ready in a couple of months and hence the state government wants to take up this project jointly with the Centre,” said Deb.

He said that considering Siliguri's importance, the Centre would not be able to deny its responsibility, particularly as the project is related to a basic service like drinking water.

Deb recently spoke with officials of the state municipal affairs and urban development department regarding an interim arrangement of drinking water supply in Siliguri.

During the past few years, water supply in Siliguri has been hit many times, particularly in view of low water levels in the Teesta canal at Fulbari from where water is drawn to the filtration plant.

“Until the new project is completed, we have to bank on the existing facility. To ensure no disruption in water supply, a proposal has been mooted to draw water from an alternative location. For this purpose, we need around Rs 6.90 crore. The proposal has been submitted to the state government and is awaiting an approval of the state cabinet,” the chairperson said.

In another development, the state transport department has granted permission to the civic body to one of its plots at Tinbatti More located in the southern end of the city. The plot would be used as a bus stand for local buses which run within Siliguri subdivision.

As of now, the stand runs near Siliguri Town station. “The decision can largely ease traffic congestion in principal thoroughfares of the city,” said a source at SMC.