PHED proposes for charging high rise flats for water supply connection

PHED Jaipur 

The residents of the city who are living in high rise buildings with multiple storeys may now have to cough out more money to get water connection as the PHED is seriously considering levying infrastructure cost on the developers. In the proposal the PHED has said that residents who buy flats need to pay Rs.62 per square foot of the total construction area towards laying of pipeline from the nearest pump house to the building.

In some selected like Bapu Nagar, BaniPark, Civili Lines and Adarsh Nagar areas, the proposal has already been mooted on a pilot basis. Under the proposal only multistorey buildings of these areas are included and in total they cover around 10 square kilometers of the area. Under this pilot project the water supply expenditure for the high rise buildings was assessed. Inspired by the Delhi's water department, the PHED has prepared a model on "self-finance scheme". Within reasonable period of time the standard rules will be formulated and residents of this zone could procure water under the pilot project. However, JDA does not like the idea and said that water supply is the basic right of citizens. It also had the meeting with developers on the issue. The majority of them also reflected the same views and raised a concern that such extra charge will increase the price of flats as the builders will pass on this extra cost of water connection to the buyers. In an earlier discussion with the chief secretary, the directions were given to discuss the proposal in NCRPB (National Capital regional Planning Board) seeking the resources so as to reduce the load on the consumers.