Godavari Water Scheme Works Fast-Tracked

Hyderabad:The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has directed officials to quickly start the works of Phases 2 and 3 of the Godavari drinking water supply scheme, a major infrastructure project aimed at meeting Hyderabad’s rising water demand. The Rs 7,360-crore project will bring an additional 20 tmc ft of Godavari water to the city, helping to meet drinking water needs, rejuvenate the Musi River and replenish the twin reservoirs — Osmansagar and Himayatsagar.

On Saturday, HMWSSB managing director Ashok Reddy on Saturday inspected the site at Ghanpur, where an 80 million-litre capacity master balancing reservoir and a water treatment plant (WTP) are to be constructed. He also reviewed the 56-km twin pipeline route from Ghanpur to Osmansagar and discussed plans for execution across critical stretches involving road crossings and tunnelling.

The MD instructed engineers to begin work on the reservoir and treatment plant at the earliest. Under Phase 1, the water board is already supplying 10 tmc ft of water to Hyderabad from the Yellampalli Project. Phases 2 and 3 will draw an additional 20 tmc ft from the Mallannasagar reservoir, of which 17.5 tmc ft will be allocated for drinking water and 2.5 tmc ft for rejuvenating the Musi River and the city’s twin reservoirs.

The upcoming works include the construction of major pumping stations and substations, along with a 3,000 mm diameter main pipeline from Mallannasagar to Ghanpur. Two water treatment plants with a combined capacity of 1,170 million litres a day will be built at Ghanpur and Shamirpet, in addition to a pumping main from Ghanpur to Muthangi.

The project is expected to be completed within two years and will add 300 million gallons a day of water supply once operational, significantly boosting Hyderabad’s long-term water security.