Water, sewerage development charges up 25%
If you were planning to get new water and sewerage connections, brace to pay more.
If you were planning to get new water and sewerage connections, brace to pay more.
Just two days before Delhi’s budget for 2009-2010 is announced, Delhi Jal Board — the city’s water utility — in its board meeting chaired by chief minister Sheila Dikshit has decided to hike both the water development and sewerage development charges by up to 25 per cent.
While the water development charge has gone up from Rs 195 per square metre to Rs 250 per square metre, the sewerage development charge has been hiked to Rs 300 per square metre. Previously the rate was Rs 224 per square meter.
Both these are one-time charges that one has to pay at the time of applying for new connections.
The last time DJB increased the water and sewerage development charges was four years ago.
Dikshit had already given an indication last week that even the water tariff might be up for revision when her government passes the budget on Monday.
This, when the city’s dilapidated water and sewer line are crumbling and residents have to reel under a perennial water shortage.
A senior DJB official said that both these charges would be there for a period of six months. “After six months, we will review the rates and, if required, will increase them further,” said the official.
DJB had recommended a much more steep charge than what was approved by the board on Saturday.
“These rates have remained the same for so many years. A need was felt to rationalise charges. We need money to upgrade the old sewer system. In the last few years the infrastructure cost has spiralled in the city. We are laying new water and sewer network across the city. Hence the increase,” said a DJB official.
The board approved an allocation of Rs 1,407.55 crore for the year 2009-2010 for improving overall water infrastructure in the city.
Here is how the Delhi Jal board (DJB) plans to spend the Rs 1407.55 crore earmarked for the sector.
A total of Rs 627 crore has been allocated for projects related to water bulk, water construction/planning and administration. In addition, Rs 558 crore has been allocated under the sewerage head along with Rs 180.55 crore under grant-in-aid (water and sewerage).
Also, an additional Rs 42 crore is expected to be received from the central government for completion of the ongoing Yamuna Action Plan (YAP-II) projects.
New water meters will also be installed by the board at all previously unmetered water connections. In order to meet the increasing demand for water in Delhi the DJB has said that it has made allocation of Rs 210 crore for completion of the Renuka Dam project, which will provide around 275 MGD of water to Delhi.