PATNA: Chief minister (CM)
Nitish Kumar on Saturday visited the bank of the Ganga near Hathidah in
Patna district and inspected the ongoing construction work in the first phase of
the Ganga Water Lift Scheme (GWLS) of the water resources department (WRD). The scheme is aimed at supplying clean drinking water to Gaya,
Bodh Gaya and Rajgir towns.
The scheme is part of the CM’s ‘Jal-Jivan-Hariyali’ campaign to minimise the bad effects of climate change.
The first phase of the GWLS is estimated to cost around Rs 2,836 crore and it is targeted to be completed by June next year.
During the inspection, the CM asked the WRD officials and site engineers to ensure completion of the first phase within the deadline.
“In the first phase of the GWLS, pipelines will be laid. Dedicated reservoirs and water treatment plants will also be constructed for supplying 43 million cubic meter (MCM) and 7 MCM clean drinking water to Gaya and Rajgir towns, respectively,” a WRD official told TOI on Saturday. In the second phase of the project, clean drinking water will be supplied to
Nawada town.
Accompanied by the water resources department (WRD) minister Sanjay Kumar Jha and information and public relations department (IPRD) minister Neeraj Kumar, the CM first visited the construction site of the Ganga river intake source at Hathidah and enquired about technical specialties of the project and progress of the works from the site engineers.
The CM also visited the site of the scheme’s intake pump house being constructed on the bank of the Ganga and enquired about the progress of work.
WRD secretary
Sanjiv Hans gave detailed information about the first phase of the GWLS to the CM on the basis of the scheme’s schematic diagram. The CM also enquired about the route of pipeline up to Rajgir and from Rajgir to Gaya and issued necessary instructions to the engineers for completing the scheme at the stipulated time.
After spot inspection at Hathidah, the CM undertook an aerial survey of the scheme’s pipeline route up to Rajgir and Gaya. He also undertook an aerial survey of the project’s two main reservoirs at Rajgir and Manpur (Gaya) where lifted waters from the Ganga will be stored for supply to the nearest townships.
The CM also enquired about the progress of work in the six-lane road bridge over the Ganga river, which is being built parallel to the existing two-lane
Rajendra Setu over the same river near Mokama.