Rs 115-cr project to provide UGD facility in Manipal, Malpe

The Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) has prepared a project of Rs 115 crore to provide underground drainage (UGD) facility in different layouts in Manipal and Malpe.

With the help of Asian Development Bank and Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environmental Management Project (Kudcemp), the project will be initiated. Under Kudcemp, a sum of Rs 55 crore and under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), a sum of Rs 10 crore will be utilised for the purpose. The primary report of the project has been prepared. Now, a detailed project report will be prepared. Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) will be the nodal agency of the project. 

Though the CMC is a model in tax collection, drinking water supply and collection of garbage, it lacks UGD facilities. There are 44,000 houses in the Udupi CMC limits. However, only 17% of the households are covered under UGD system.

The old municipality area of Udupi has UGD facility, however, there is no UGD facility in Malpe and Manipal. Once the UGD project is complete, then about 80% of houses in the Udupi CMC limits will have UGD connections.

Along with UGD facility, Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) will also be constructed. A STP of 3.5 MLD capacity will be constructed at Kalmadi, Malpe and another 3 MLD-capacity plant will be constructed at Indrali. Wet wells will be constructed at 13 places to pump the sewage water to the STPs.

At present, there is a STP of 12.5 MLD capacity at Nittur in Udupi. However, the STP purifies only 4 MLD sewage water. The STP could not be utilised to its fullest capacity due to lack of UGD connections, said sources in the CMC.

Minister for Fisheries Pramod Madhwaraj had recently said, “The land will have to be acquired for the construction of wetwells, STPs and laying of UGD. If we go to acquire land as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015, the process will be delayed. Hence, the land will be taken from private individuals after convincing them through a mutual agreement. The land will be acquired only if it is necessary.”