VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials have drafted a comprehensive action plan with an estimated cost of Rs 2.70 crore to provide uninterrupted drinking water supply during the ensuing summer months.This year, the officials have decided to carry out 35 repairs and ensure drinking water supply in tail end localities of the city.
According to VMC officials, the civic body is alone in the State supplying drinking water twice a day. Around Rs 10 crore is being spent per annum to supply 180 million litres per day (MLD) drinking water to the 12 lakh population in the city.This summer, uninterrupted drinking water will be provided to Gunadala, Vambay Colony, Urmila Subbarao Nagar, Bala Bhaskar Nagar and hilly terrains in three Assembly Constitutiences of the city.
In case of any additional supply, tankers will be roped in to supply water and avoid inconvenience to the residents. Currently, the city has 1,000 hand bores. Repairs will be carried out for the defunct ones. Apart from that, 10 power bores are also being procured and they will be arranged in the city suburbs and hilly terrains. Besides that, 40 temporary drinking water kiosks will be also arranged across the city to quench the thirst of the residents. Ground-level staff will also identify the damaged and leakaging pipelines and repair them on a war footing.
VMC chief engineer M Prabhakar Rao said that steps are being taken to avoid drinking water scarcity during the summer. Water level in Krishna River upstream of the Prakasam Barrage is enough. In case of any issues in drinking water supply, residents can contact WhatsApp number 8181960909 and issue will be rectified by the concerned ground-level officials, he said.