Cas d’application
Grundfos pumps protect Southern Avenue, Kolkata, from flooding
KOLKATA, INDIA: Formerly known worldwide as Calcutta, the city was recently renamed Kolkata. Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and is located just north of the Bay of Bengal, where India and Bangladesh meet at the many mouths of the sacred river Ganges. Kolkata is the main business and industrial centre of Eastern India.
What began as a trading outpost more than 300 years ago has grown into a thriving metropolis. Today, with over twelve million residents in the metropolitan region, Kolkata is one of the world’s largest urban agglomerations. The city boasts the country’s first Metro railway and many other modern facilities, which happily co-exist with historic buildings, many of which have stood for hundreds of years.
The Situation
Southern Avenue - a part of Kolkata city is situated in a low-lying area, which means that the city faces problems with storm water flooding. During the monsoon period, the Southern Avenue needed a solution for pumping the storm water in order to avoid flooding in surrounding areas. Naturally, many pump suppliers were highly interested in this prestigious project.
The Grundfos Solution
Grundfos India took up the challenge, offered a solution that stood out from the other competitors and won the project. Very importantly, Grundfos India distinguished itself by being a solution provider rather than just a pump supplier. Local presence, faster delivery, superior service support, and state-of-the-art solutions were all important contributing factors behind the Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s final choice of Grundfos.
Working in co-operation with Grundfos Engineering, Grundfos India supplied the complete mechanical, electrical and automation systems. To ensure maximum reliability and performance, Grundfos checked every detail. Based on the expertise and experience of the Grundfos team, the conclusion was that the application called for the pumps to be installed in tubes. Consequently, Grundfos was able to provide an innovative solution, that not only focused on reliability and low maintenance, but also a future-orientated solution that will be able to handle extreme situations, if it is ever required.
The Outcome
The pumps were commissioned in October 2004. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has been highly satisfied with its partnership with Grundfos, resulting in the best possible solution for the task. The final result is the first storm water pumping station in India to feature complete automation with a provision for the addition of SCADA systems in the future. “This is one of the smoothest commissioning that we had ever seen” says Mr. VSM Iyer, MECON.