Bhubaneswar, May 1: A high-level delegation from the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) met with the Housing & Urban Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee, at Unnati Bhawan for a strategic consultation following their comprehensive exposure visit to study Odisha’s urban water reforms.
The delegation, led by Indore Municipal Commissioner Kshitij Singhal, focused on the implementation and scalability of the Drink From Tap (DFT) initiative and the 24x7 water supply system managed by WATCO. The meeting served as a vital platform for inter-state knowledge sharing, as the team sought to understand Odisha’s innovative urban water management framework for potential replication in Indore.
During the meeting, Padhee highlighted the State’s proactive commitment to sharing best practices and informed the delegation that the Odisha Urban Academy stands ready to provide comprehensive training and capacity-building support to help other cities implement similar citizen-centric systems. The discussion underscored how the integration of community-led governance and high-end technical standards has set a national benchmark for sustainable service delivery.
The meeting followed extensive field visits where the Indore team explored the operational and social pillars of the mission. The delegation began their tour in Puri - India’s first city to achieve 24/7 quality drinking water supply - where they inspected the Water Treatment Plant and held detailed interactions with Jala Sathis. These interactions allowed the team to understand how community-led participation has become the cornerstone of the project's sustainability and inclusive service delivery.
In Bhubaneswar, the team visited Salia Sahi to observe inclusive service delivery models specifically designed for urban informal settlements, ensuring equitable access to safe drinking water. The delegation also toured the state-of-the-art SCADA-based Command and Control Centre to witness real-time monitoring of water pressure, smart metering, and automated quality control systems that ensure uninterrupted 24x7 service across the city.
Kshitij Singhal praised the efficiency of the Odisha model, noting that the integration of technology with grassroots participation offers vital learnings for Indore.
