New Delhi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $200 million loan to improve the lives and climate resilience of people in Uttarakhand, India. The loan will support the Uttarakhand Livability Improvement Project, which will upgrade water supply, sanitation, transportation, and other urban services in the state, according to a press release by the ADB.
The project will focus on improving transportation, drainage, flood management, and public services in Haldwani, the state’s economic hub. It will also develop climate-resilient water supply systems in Champawat, Kichha, Kotdwar, and Vikasnagar.
“Uttarakhand’s high vulnerability to climate and environmental risks such as floods and droughts adds to the pressing challenges in delivering good public services that are faced by the project towns,” said ADB Senior Urban Development Specialist Pedro Almeida.
The project aims to increase water service coverage to 100% in Champawat, Kichha, Kotdwar, and Vikasnagar by constructing 1,024 kilometers of climate-resilient pipelines with smart water meters, 26 tubewells, new reservoirs, and a water treatment plant, the release added. Sanitation coverage in Vikasnagar will also be improved by constructing sewage treatment facilities.