Arvind Kejriwal Announces Free Sewer Connections For 787 Colonies

Consumers who apply under the scheme by 31 March, 2020, can avail the free sewer connection service and will not need to pay any development charges, connection charges, or even road-cutting charges

Arvind Kejriwal Announces Free Sewer Connections For 787 Colonies/ Photo Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced the 'Mukhyamantri Muft Sewer Connection Yojana'. The CM announced Delhi government has invested thousands of crores for the first time to lay thousands of kilometers of sewer line to provide benefits to the residents. Under the scheme, the state government will provide free sewer connections to households in 787 colonies where sewer lines have been laid. Consumers who apply under the scheme by 31 March, 2020, can avail the free sewer connection service and will not need to pay any development charges, connection charges, or even road-cutting charges, Kejriwal told the media. "Delhi government has invested thousands of crores of rupees and laid thousands of kilometers of sewer lines across the city for the first time. But despite the laying of sewer lines lakhs of households have not installed sewer connections because of the high installation and development charges," Kejriwal said. "Not only did they keep the people of Delhi deprived of basic facilities, but they also caused the Yamuna to get polluted. Now, the people of Delhi will get essential services and we can also clean the Yamuna," the Chief Minister said. He said the high development charges stop the people from installing sewer connections. "We had decreased the development charges for sewer connections to Rs 100 per square meter from Rs 500 per square meter, but the individual charges to install a sewer connection still burns a hole in the pocket of a common man. In a meeting held today, the Delhi Cabinet has decided to provide relief to those people who have not taken the sewer connections despite a sewage line in their areas." "The Delhi government will bear all costs for the infrastructure, installation, and development charges of household sewer connections under the scheme." He added: "As per the Delhi Jal Board's data, around 2,34,000 households in Delhi have not installed sewer connections in areas where we have laid sewer lines. We hope that more and more houses can take connections and take advantage of the scheme. This will also ensure sanitation of the city as it will prevent waste from being dumped into stormwater drains and the Yamuna". He said he will personally write to households without sewer connections. "The budget of the project will depend on the number of households that register themselves for the installation of the sewer connection. I will be personally writing to all the households that do not have the sewer connections, to apply for the connections under this scheme. The Delhi government will also publicize the scheme so that more and more people become aware of it." Speaking to the media, Kejriwal said for the 'Mukhyamantri Septic Tank Safai Yojana', the Delhi government will provide a phone number where people can call and ask for an appointment. (With IANS Inputs)