In a major boost to urban infrastructure and public welfare, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a large-scale water supply project aimed at providing 24-hour safe drinking water to residents of Sambalpur city.
The ambitious project, with an estimated cost of Rs 451.24 crore, has been designed to address the long-standing drinking water challenges faced by the city and to significantly improve the quality of life of its residents.
Under the project, approximately 340 kilometres of water pipelines will be laid across Sambalpur city. The plan also includes the construction of one intake well and two modern water treatment plants—one with a capacity of 65 million litres per day (MLD) for Sambalpur and another 35 MLD plant for Burla.
Once completed, the project will ensure the supply of 100 million litres of treated drinking water per day directly to households. Around five lakh residents across 41 wards of Sambalpur city are expected to benefit from the initiative.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said the city currently faces a shortfall of nearly 30 million litres of water per day, especially during the summer months. He said the project would permanently resolve the drinking water crisis and ensure round-the-clock access to clean and safe water.
The Chief Minister further noted that the project is being implemented under the Central Government’s AMRUT 2.0 mission as part of the “Drink From Tap” programme. Under this initiative, residents will be able to consume water directly from taps without the need for additional filtration.
“Access to safe drinking water is essential for healthy living. This project will not only solve Sambalpur’s water problems but also bring a qualitative improvement in the standard of living of the people,” the Chief Minister said.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony was attended by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Rural Development Minister Rabi Narayan Naik, Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra, former MLA Nauri Naik, District Collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar, and other senior officials.
