ADB approves $200 mn additional funding for Rajasthan urban development project
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved additional funding to the tune of $200 million for an ongoing urban development project in Rajasthan that aims to improve water supply and sanitation facilities.
The Manila-based multilateral lender said the additional financing is for the Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector Project that seeks to improve water supply and sanitation systems and support the enhancement of urban resilience and heritage living.
The ongoing project, which was approved in September 2020, has so far laid 1,451 kilometers (km) of water supply pipes, 1,110 km of sewer pipes, and connected 68,098 households to water services in selected secondary towns in the state, said an official statement.
“ADB is committed to supporting the government in addressing complex urban development challenges by providing high-quality urban infrastructure and services and fostering the health and well-being of its residents,” said ADB Principal Urban Development Specialist for South Asia Na Won Kim.
“This additional ADB funding will have diversified interventions beyond water supply and sanitation and incorporate various innovative and climate-resilient solutions.”
The loan will improve water supply systems in at least seven project towns by converting all groundwater sources to surface water, replacing about 700 km of leaking water pipes, installing 1,400 km of new water supply pipelines, and providing 77,000 households connections with water meters. It will also establish three new water treatment plants.
Sanitation systems will be upgraded in at least eight project towns by rehabilitating about 580 km of sewers, building seven sewage treatment plants with co-treatment units to process fecal sludge and septage, and connecting more than 50,000 households to the sewage system, said the statement.
A new feature in ADB’s support is the water facility development for urban resilience improvement and heritage-sensitive urban development in at least eight heritage towns, which have strong tourism potential. This includes the reconstruction of water parks and water structures with heritage value incorporating nature-based solutions to improve climate resilience. It will rehabilitate at least 20 heritage or heritage-like structures to improve the living environment and attract more tourists.
The project will encourage private sector investments and financing to improve water services in Rajasthan’s manufacturing areas. The plan is to establish designated pipe networks to carry treated wastewater from the sewage treatment plants to industrial facilities, the statement added.
