96% work complete on Rapti sewage interception project ahead of monsoon

Gorakhpur: The state govt is set to complete a major sewage interception and treatment project aimed at cleaning the Rapti river before the onset of monsoon.Officials said that more than 96% work on Mahewa/Katniya drain interception, diversion and treatment project has already been completed.The Rs 53-crore project has been designed to stop untreated sewage and waste from flowing directly into the Rapti river through major drains such as Mahewa and Katniya, which for years have been carrying wastewater from densely populated localities into the river.According to officials, the project includes interception and diversion of drain water through pipelines to a 10 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP), along with the construction of a 27 MLD-capacity master pumping station (MPS). The treated water will be discharged into the river only after undergoing proper purification.The project covers sewage generated from Mahewa, Rustampur and Mahuisugharpur wards located in northern part of the city. Authorities believe that making the system operational before the rainy season will significantly reduce the volume of untreated waste entering the river during monsoon months.CM Yogi Adityanath has repeatedly emphasised restoring the clean and uninterrupted flow of the Rapti river. Alongside this project, bio-remediation work is also being carried out at Takiya Ghat to treat wastewater before it enters the river.Pankaj Kumar, executive engineer of UP Jal Nigam (Urban), said the project commenced on Dec 29, 2023, and is expected to be fully completed by the end of May.