Agartala, Sept 14 (TIWN) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) aided project would complete refurbish the half-a-century old water supply system in Tripura capital Agartala. Tripura’s urban development secretary Ashutosh Jindal told reporters : “The ADB had sanctioned the Rs. 130 crore project to entirely change the 408 km water supply underground pipelines, laid in 1960.”

Mr Jindal said that the ADB supported project would replace the water supply pipe lines in the eastern, southern and middle zones of Agartala Municipal Council areas even as the works in the northern zone would be completed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission assisted scheme.

He said that the actual works for the replacement of the water supply pipe lines would start after the ensuing Durga Puja festival beginning early next month.

The 142-years-old Agartala Municipal Council, which will execute the ADB project, planned to be a corporation by this year end.

Based in Manila (Philippines), ADB-assisted North Eastern Region Urban Development Programme will be implemented in Meghalaya capital Shillong, Mizoram capital Aizawl, Nagaland’s Kohima, Sikkim capital Gangtok besides Agartala Tripura.

With a population of little over four lakh, the capital Agartala was founded in 1838 by the then king Maharaja Krishna Kishore Manikya (1830-49). Tripura was a princely ruled state until its accession to India in October 1949.