Raipur is all set to get a chic facelift under the smart city mission with even its underbelly-- a haphazard sewerage system—going for a major transformation.     

The Raipur Smart City Limited (RSCL) is implementing a Rs 150-crore proposal for a smart drainage system to solve the capital’s city’s sewerage problem.

RSCL’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Shiv Anant Tayal talking to The Pioneer said the new drainage system would also play a key role in resolving perennial water-logging problem in certain localities.

The RSCL has already introduced an “Intelligent Traffic Management” system, spending Rs 180 crore.  Multilevel parking, rejuvenation of 34 major water bodies in the city, renovation of heritage buildings, beautification of city, creating green space are some initiatives undertaken to give the city a image makeover.

Works worth nearly Rs 250 crore have already been done and work proposals of almost the same amount i.e. Rs 250 crore, are on the anvil, Tayal added.

Notable, Raipur is among the 100 cities across the country which is earmarked to be developed as smart cities by the year 2022. The RSCL is a company registered in the state to undertake the infrastructure development work to shape the city as per the set guidelines. Centre and the state have put an equal share of 50% each to make the city smart.

Regarding another big issue of water augmentation, Tayal who is also Commissioner of Raipur Municipal Corporation, informed that it was being done under another central scheme Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Half of the fund for the mission is provided by the Centre while the state government and local urban body contribute the rest, he informed.

“There is ample water to cater to the need of citizens of capital city Raipur from Kathadih intake, only we lack is in the supply system,” he said.

Laying of around 500 kms of pipeline and construction of 14 overhead tanks are underway to meet the water demand and fulfill the wish of chief minister to stop supplying drinking water through tankers, he added.  

Another major work which is going to start is the establishment of three sewerage treatment plants in the city to prevent release of effluent into the city’s life line, the Kharun River, he informed. These three sewerage treatment plants are going to be established at Chandanidih, Kara and Nimora on the outskirts of the city, he said.