Assam’s Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Kaushik Rai, informed the Legislative Assembly that the drinking water supply projects in Guwahati, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), are anticipated to be finished by December this year. The South-Central Guwahati Water Supply Project has achieved 96.75% physical progress, while the North Guwahati Water Supply Project stands at 95.75% completion.
Work on both projects began in March 2012 with an initial completion timeline of 36 and 28 months, respectively. However, delays have plagued the projects over the years. Minister Rai disclosed that a total of Rs 1,450.87 crore has been spent on the projects, with JICA contributing Rs 1,425.93 crore and Rs 24.95 crore from the State-Owned Priority Development fund.
The JICA loan component was fully utilized by December 2024, and the remaining tasks are expected to be finalized by the end of 2026. The South-Central Guwahati project currently serves 83,569 households with potable water, while the North Guwahati scheme aims to cover approximately 15,000 households upon full operation.
The South-West Guwahati Water Supply Project, managed by the Guwahati Jal Board, has achieved 72% progress and is projected to be completed by mid-2027. Minister Rai also mentioned the progress of the South-East Guwahati Water Supply Project, with the first phase 17% complete and targeted for full completion by May 2029 with support from the New Development Bank.
