HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) will give one lakh new water connections before this summer season. Between 60,000 and 70,000 of those connections will be given during the current month itself(April).
HMWS&SB managing director M Dana Kishore held a meeting here on Monday to review the ` 1,900-crore Urban Mission Bhagiratha scheme which is aimed at providing one lakh new connections in surrounding municipalities with HUDCO aid.
Sanction of new connections is a possibility now as 12 new reservoirs are getting ready this month and another 15 next month. New pipelines to a length of 1,800 km have been laid for this purpose.
The board has undertaken Urban Mission Bhagiratha at Autonagar and Nadigadda Tanda on an experimental basis. A kiosk, equipped with computers, scanners and a cash counter, will be set up in the locality to receive applications and sanction tap connection to consumers on the spot after duly verifying the applicant’s information.
A help desk, manned by HMWS&SB staff, will be set up at the kiosk for immediate assistance and guidance to consumers. Selected SHG members from MEPMA will conduct an awareness campaign on new connections.
The SHG members will go round the localities and distribute application forms for new tap connections and also collect back the filled-in forms. If approved, the new consumers will be provided new tap connections in two or three days.
Only one rupee will be collected from below poverty line (BPL) families for connection. Road cutting and other installation charges will also be borne by the board for these families. In the case of others, normal connection charges will be collected.