Innovative Arch Type Bridge Cum Bandhara for Economical and Quick Implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission

Abstract

Total number of villages in India are 6,40,932, out of which 5,97,608 are inhabited villages having total 19.12 crore households. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has been established by the government of India (GoI) with the provision of Rs 3.5 lakh crores to supply piped drinking water by functional household Tap connection (FHTC) by 2024 to all the rural population at the rate of 55 L per capita day. It can be noted that 75% of villages in India are below 1500 population. Due to inadequate water, especially in summer, tankers are required to be deployed at a very heavy cost. Generally, the water source at the village level is not reliable and assured, hence Regional Water Supply Schemes (RWSS) are planned at a cost of 150 lakhs to 200 lakhs per village and are executed to meet the need of cluster of villages. Each village is located near a natural stream, called Nalla which generally has a steep slope, hence rainwater drains off fast once the rain stops. They, therefore, do not help the ground recharging. Such villages are always connected by a small bridge which is proposed to be converted into bridge cum bandhara to act as a storage and crossing structure. After extensive model analysis and research, a new innovative affordable elliptical concrete arch is evolved which is permanently fixed to piers to create water storage up to a depth of 2.4 m. This water is proposed to be stored in nearby “Shet Tale” for meeting the need of drinking water and irrigation. Artificial recharging also can be adopted. Several structures have been constructed and it has revealed that besides meeting the drinking water need, we can have irrigation for 150–200 acres per village. Construction techniques are developed to complete structures in just 20 days and the cost of storage is 60% of norms as well 60% compared to the cost of cement weir/plug. The total cost per village (including BCB, solar pumps, Shet Tale, and filtering system) is on an average Rs 50 Lakhs per village against 150 lakhs to 200 lakhs in regional water supply scheme. Government intends to double the farmer’s income and this objective will be fulfilled with this innovative design. Objective of this paper is to discuss this innovative technique. It is recommended that this model be adopted by JJM to achieve FHTC at minimum cost and earlier than 2024.