Hyderabad, Jan 3 (Reporter) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) to draft a comprehensive infrastructure plan to ensure fresh water supply and sewage management in Greater Hyderabad over the next 25 years. Emphasising the city's expansion and population growth, he called for a futuristic plan to meet the demands of the city by 2050. Presiding over the Water Board's meeting at the Integrated Command Control Center on Friday—the first since Telangana's formation—Revanth Reddy stressed the need for collaboration with expert agencies and consultancies to develop sustainable water and sewage strategies. Officials briefed the Chief Minister about the current water supply to Hyderabad’s 13.79 lakh connections via a 9,800 km distribution network sourced from Manjira, Singur, Godavari, and Krishna. Discussions centered around the Godavari Phase 2 project to enhance water supply, particularly to Usman Sagar and Himayath Sagar. The board decided to source water for Godavari Phase 2 from Mallanna Sagar, citing high availability and lower lifting costs. The project’s scope was expanded to bring 20 TMC of water instead of the initially proposed 15 TMC to meet future demands. HMWSSB MD Ashok Reddy presented the board’s financial report, highlighting a revenue deficit of Rs 8,800 crores, pending electricity bills of Rs 5,500 crores, and other loans totalling Rs 1,847 crores. While the board’s income covers employee salaries and maintenance, the Chief Minister described the financial situation as unsustainable. He instructed officials to coordinate with the Finance Department to create an actionable plan to address revenue shortfalls, ensure regular collection of water bill arrears, and explore low-interest funding options for new projects. To modernise infrastructure, the Chief Minister approved a project to construct a new water pipeline as an alternative to the aging lines laid in 1965, which often disrupt water supply during repairs. He suggested leveraging central schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission to secure funds for the project. Revanth Reddy reiterated his government’s commitment to ensuring a reliable water supply and urged the Water Board to adopt innovative revenue policies while advancing Hyderabad’s water infrastructure to meet the city’s growing needs. The meeting was attended by key officials, including Chief Minister's Advisor Vem Narender Reddy, Chief Secretary Shanthikumari, Municipal Department Principal Secretary Dana Kishore, Special Principal Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Irrigation Department Principal Secretary Rahul Bojja, HMWSSB MD Ashok Reddy, GHMC Commissioner Ilambarthi, and Special Secretary to the Chief Minister Ajith Reddy, according to an official statement...////...