CHENNAI: The Government of India (GoI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday signed an agreement for a USD 125 million loan to develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment, and drainage and water supply systems in Coimbatore, Madurai, and Thoothukudi.
The financing would support the development of two sewage treatment plants in Coimbatore with 529km of sewage collection pipelines; the installation of 14 pumps and lift stations; and the construction of 14km of sewage pumping mains.
In Thoothukudi, a climate-resilient stormwater drainage system would be developed. In Madurai, the project will support the commissioning of 813km of new water supply distribution pipelines that would connect 1,63,958 households to 115 newly established district-metered areas with smart water features to reduce non-revenue water.
In Coimbatore and Madurai, two all-female self-help groups would be trained on the benefits of household connection to the sewage collection system, water conservation, sanitation, and health and hygiene.
Signatories to the agreement for TN Urban Flagship Investment Programme were Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance, and Hoe Yun Jeong, Officer-in-Charge of ADB’s India Resident Mission.
The loan is the third and the last tranche of the USD 500 million multi-tranche financing facility for the programme, approved by ADB in 2018, to build priority water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in strategic industrial corridors across 10 cities in TN.
Mishra said the loan would help ensure universal access to basic water and sanitation services and improve resilience against floods in the project target areas.