BWSSB to upgrade three Cauvery pumping stations

In a bid to address the city’s water demand, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) would upgrade three pumping stations processing Cauvery water.

The proposal to revamp the Thorekadanahalli (TK Halli), Harohalli and Tataguni pumping stations will be submitted to the board soon.

The board has obtained the feasibility report suggesting to not outsource the work.

Officials on the board said a private firm had done the study in 1999 and on several occasion earlier to carry out the upgrade, but the work will be taken up full-fledged for the first time now.

While the durability of the equipment in the stations is only 25 years, the upgrade has been pending for more than 35 years and the board is now committed to doing the upgrade, sources said. The board has only done minute repair works before.

“The project is estimated to cost Rs 169 crore,” BWSSB’s additional chief engineer, Cauvery, S V Ramesh told DH.

“The proposal will be placed before the board shortly for approval. We’ll probably start the work by the end of this month. We’ve done the preparatory work for the upgrade, which will increase the station’ pumping efficiency by 8% to 10% and provide the city an additional 20 MLD of water,” he added.

Cauvery water will be pumped up to 450 MTR from the TK Halli pumping station. The board will replace at least 54 motor pumps in all the three stations, besides switches, pipes and valves.

“Most of the equipment are old. We have to replace them with new equipment and advanced technology,” Ramesh said.

The BWSSB will raise Rs 85 crore — nearly 50% of the estimated Rs 169 crore for the project — as a loan from the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC). The board and the state government will pitch in the remaining sum.