Rain, but not enough water
The hills receive very heavy rain, but the town still faces an acute shortage of drinking water.1
Case study
Piped water for every household
A drinking water tap in every home in the municipality, under AMRUT 2.0.
- Rs 199 crore Water supply project approved by the Centre 1
- Rs 170 crore+ Works under way in June 2026 3
- Rs 2.43 crore Sanctioned for tap connections to every home 2
- 135 litres Water per person per day, the AMRUT service level 5
Overview
The Darjeeling hills get some of the highest rainfall in India, yet towns like Mirik face an acute shortage of drinking water. In November 2022 the Centre approved a Rs 199 crore water supply project for Mirik Municipality under AMRUT 2.0.
The aim is 100% coverage: a working tap in every household in the nine wards. In June 2026 works worth more than Rs 170 crore were under way.
Why it matters
What the project covers
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Household tap connections
A tap connection for every home in the municipality, funded by the Rs 2.43 crore sanction.2
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Water source and intakeDemo
Drawing raw water from a reliable source and piping it to the town.
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Treatment plantDemo
Filtering and disinfecting the water before it is supplied.
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Storage reservoirsDemo
Reservoirs above the wards so water can flow down by gravity.
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Distribution pipelinesDemo
New pipelines along the roads and footpaths of each ward.
Progress
DemoItems marked Demo are examples, not published figures. They will be replaced when the office shares real data.
Timeline
- Done
Project requested
The Darjeeling MP asked the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs to approve AMRUT 2.0 water projects for Mirik.1
- Done
Rs 199 crore approved
The Centre approved the water supply project for Mirik Municipality under AMRUT 2.0.1
- Now
Works reviewed
The state Municipal Affairs Minister reviewed the works during a visit to Mirik. Works worth more than Rs 170 crore were under way.3
- Next Demo
Taps in every home
Connecting homes ward by ward, then trial runs of the new supply.
- Next Demo
Full supply
Target date for the whole project.
Challenges
- Progress not yet published
The office has not published ward-by-ward progress. The progress bars on this page are demo figures until it does.
What this means for you
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Ask at the Municipality Office about a new tap connection. Take your holding number.
Office address and hours -
Report leaks, low pressure or no supply with the grievance form.
Report a problem -
Do not damage or tap into new pipelines. Report any damage you see.
Sources
- 1 Sikkim Express, 3 November 2022: Centre approves water supply projects for Mirik, Kalimpong
- 2 APAC News Network, April 2025: Darjeeling district bags Rs 1,503 crore water projects under AMRUT 2.0
- 3 The Statesman, June 2026: Agnimitra Paul inspects potable water projects in Darjeeling
- 4 Millennium Post, 8 June 2026: Minister announces 2 new STPs in Mirik, reviews lake revival
- 5 PIB, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: AMRUT 2.0 water supply through functional taps
- 6 Radiant Engineering: Drinking water supply at Manju Khola, Mirik
News reports are summarised in our own words. If you find an error, tell the Municipality Office.