Panaji, Feb 9 (TOI): Panjimites will have to wait some more time to get the much touted 24X7 water supply they were promised. Work on the 27MLD water treatment plant for Panaji has been on hold for nearly a year now, as the contractors were awaiting payments.

The payments have been cleared recently and the work is yet to resume. The 27 MLD plant was expected to be completed by March 31 this year, as per official timeframe set for the work. Work on the plant at Curti, Ponda had begun on January 29, 2014.

This new water treatment plant was initiated under the Jawaharlal Nehru national urban renewal mission (JNNURM) scheme, but after the end of duration of this scheme, the water treatment project is now being funded by the state government. This caused a break in funding for the plant. The new project consists of two parts; one is the construction of the 27-MLD water treatment plant and the second is the distribution network.

There hasn't been much progress in laying this distribution network. "We require NOC from the corporation of the city of Panaji for road closure. Iffi and the election code of conduct put the work on hold," an official said.