Visakhapatnam: The state government has accorded permission to the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to call for tenders for the Gajuwaka and Malkapuram sewerage project. While GVMC will contribute Rs 350 crore towards the Phase-II project , Andhra Pradesh Urban Infrastructure Asset Management Ltd (APUIAML) will provide Rs 180 crore as term loan equivalent to funding, GVMC sources said on Saturday.Tenders have already been finalised for phase I. The first phase work, worth nearly Rs 350 crore, will cover Pendurthi. The key component of the project includes developing tertiary water treatment technologies to supply treated water to industries.In all, a total of 85,000 households in Gajuwaka, Malkapuram and Pendurthi will be given underground drainage (UGD) connections.According to GVMC officials, the confirmed demand for treated sewerage effluent by industries was calculated as 77 MLD based on their willingness. Companies like Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited gave their in-principle approval to using the tertiary treated water, sources said.GVMC commissioner M Hari Narayanan said the project will provide a sewerage network in the uncovered areas in the city. “It will also help in safe disposal of sewage. It increases the fresh water availability for the general public as the tertiary treated water will be supplied to the industries in place of fresh water. Moreover, the project is completely self-sustainable as the loans and operation and maintenance costs will be met from the sale of recycled water,” said Hari Narayanan.

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