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New Delhi : Financing agreements for developing Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Sewerage network for Digha and Kankarbagh zones of Patna were signed between DK Sewage Project Pvt Ltd (a subsidiary of VA Tech Wahagh) and PFS.
The scope of the project includes development of Sewage Treatment Plants of 150 MLD capacity along with sewerage network of over 453 km in Digha and Kankarbagh zones of Patna, one of the most populous cities on the banks of the river Ganga. This is the first of its kind project providing for a mix of Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (‘DBOT’) scope and Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) scope.
With the implementation of Digha and Kankarbagh sewerage projects, all the sewage zones of Patna city will be covered with sewerage network and sewage treatment capacity to achieve the objective of the Namami Gange programme of preventing any untreated waste water entering the river Ganga. The capacity of Digha STP will be 100 MLD and Kankarbagh STP will be of 50 MLD. PFS has agreed to fund Rs 85.84 Cr for development of STPs in the form of long-term debt. This is the second project financed by PFS under the HAM model of development. An earlier one was the Prayagraj sewerage scheme under the One City- One Operator concept through HAM, according to a PIB release.
The 453 Km of sewage network in the project is to be laid in DBOT model wherein 100% of the contractual payment will be made during the construction period. On the contrary, for development of STPs under HAM, 40% of construction cost will be paid during the construction period of 24 months and the balance 60% will be paid as quarterly annuities along with interest and Operation & Maintenance (O &M) cost during the 15-year operation period.
DKSPPL will be responsible for the entire development and operation of both sewerage network and STPs for 15 years of the concession period. The payment during operations period will be subject to achievement of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in terms of treated waste water quality for the STPs.
Under the Namami Gange programme, in Patna, 11 sewerage schemes for development of sewage treatment capacity of 350 MLD along with laying of 1,140.3 km sewerage network has been taken up at a total cost of Rs 3,237 Crore. STP projects in Beur (43 MLD) and Karmalichak (37 MLD) are completed and were inaugurated by the Prime Minister in 2020. Another STP project at Saidpur (60 MLD) and adjoining network has been completed recently. STP projects are also sanctioned for towns adjoining Patna namely Danapur, Phulwarishariff, and Fatuha.
The Agreements were signed in the presence of Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Jal Shakti Ministry, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and Ashok Kumar Singh, ED (Projects), NMCG.