Patna: Work has begun on a major drinking water infrastructure upgrade across Bihar’s urban areas under the central government’s AMRUT 2.0 programme, with 21 projects being implemented by the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (BUIDCo) at a total cost of Rs 2,451.39 crore.
The initiative is aimed at improving access to clean drinking water for millions of urban residents through the replacement of ageing pipelines, reduction of leakages, and expansion and modernisation of distribution systems. Officials say the capacity of existing water treatment plants will also be enhanced as part of the programme.
According to BUIDCo, nine of the projects are currently under execution, another nine are in the tendering stage, and three remain at the proposal stage. Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation has been assigned for eight schemes as part of the preparatory work.
The approved projects account for Rs 2,110.31 crore, while proposed schemes are valued at Rs 341.08 crore.
The largest allocation is for Patna (Phase 1), with Rs 1,308.46 crore earmarked, followed by projects in Gaya (Phase 3), Samastipur (Phase 1), Sitamarhi, Munger (Phase 1), Khagaria (Phase 1), Lakhisarai (Phase 2) and Kishanganj (Phase 3).
BUIDCo’s managing director has directed officials to closely monitor implementation and ensure timely completion, stressing that reliance on executing agencies alone would not be sufficient. Officials have been instructed to carry out independent site inspections and submit regular reports to the headquarters.
Once completed, the projects are expected to significantly improve the continuity and quality of water supply in Bihar’s towns and cities, while also reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases linked to contaminated or intermittent supply.
