Upgradation of the Darjeeling water supply system planned under AMRUT

The Darjeeling Municipality in West Bengal is planning to upgrade the town’s water supply system under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Estimated to entail an investment of Rs 2.05 billion, the project will be implemented in three phases. The bidding process for the project has been initiated and the centre has already sanctioned the first installment of the project cost. Though the project was conceptualised in 2012 (at a cost of Rs 1.62 billion), it failed to take off due to financial constraints. Its scope involves re-laying of the entire water distribution pipeline network and construction of water tanks in 32 wards of the town. Besides, the project involves the installation of water meters to minimise the proportion of non-revenue water in the total supply.