World Bank Director for South Asia Ms Connie Bernard visited Belgaum on Wednesday to review the ongoing work of World Bank-funded water project. ``The work on the project in Belgaum, Gulbarga and Hubli-Dharwad has been encouraging,'' she said.
   During the day, she visited several wards where the project is being implemented in Belgaum.
The WB-funded water project is likely to get over in these three places by year 2009, according to Mr Javed Akhtar, Managing Director of Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (KUIDFC), the nodal agency which is implementing this project in Karnataka.
   Ms Connie, at a meeting in Belgaum held discussions with officials of KUIDFC, City Corporation and Water Board.
The pilot phase of this project is presently being implemented in the selected areas of Belgaum, Gulbarga and Hubli-Dharwad.
The total cost of project is estimated at Rs 237.04 crore, out of which 181.70 crore is being contributed by the World Bank while the State government is sharing Rs 55.34 crore.
   So far, a sum of Rs 144 crore has been spent on the project in Karnataka.
The work is in its last phase of implementation in Belgaum with already tap connections under the project given to 3944 customers.