SHILLONG, May 16: The work on the New Shillong Water Supply Scheme has commenced, although it is still in its initial stages.
Sources from the PHE department said that funds for land acquisition have already been handed over to the deputy commissioner for disbursement to the landowners.
Although there is a large tract of government land in the area, the government will still need to acquire additional land for the scheme.
Sources also revealed that the project will incorporate advanced technology. A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, along with Internet of Things technology, will be installed to automate and monitor the water supply.
This system will allow real-time tracking of water flow, leak detection, and pressure monitoring—all controlled from a central command room to ensure faster issue resolution. It is also learnt that the project will take time, as the pipelines must be laid in accordance with the SCADA system’s requirements.
Phase-I of the scheme has received administrative approval, with a sanctioned budget of Rs 538.44 crore under the State Plan. The project is divided into two phases. Phase-I focuses on drawing water from the Wah-Umkhen River and includes the construction of a dam, two jack wells with pump houses and an approach bridge.
Raw water will eventually be pumped at a capacity of 70 million litres per day (MLD), although Phase-I will initially supply 33 MLD. The water will be transported via pipelines to a water treatment plant near Bri-Heh village, Mawpdang, where it will be processed for distribution.
