VUDA chairman Krishnakant Shah told reporters on Tuesday that the Rs 12.75 lakh study which is expected to take nine months would take into account services like water supply, drainage, roads, health and education among others.

Shah said the database would help plan civic amenities for 104 villages under VUDA's jurisdiction. Apart from socio-economic conditions of the villages, the survey would also include village populations and the number of those who have gone abroad. It will also take into consideration the future requirements of the areas.

A feasibility report for laying an intake well near Kothia in the district's eastern portion is almost over, said Shah. He said the Rs 60 crore project would help solve the water shortage problems in several villages of Vadodara and Waghodia talukas.

In several villages water is not available even after going 150 feet below ground level, he said, adding that out of the 104 villages there were problems in 48. Recently the Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board has provided group water works schemes, he added.

Shah said that the VUDA is also deepening existing ponds in Chhani, Sama and Harni on an experimental basis. Percolating wells are also being laid. The project is expected to cost about Rs 5 lakhs.

On the much talked-about plans to develop a satellite township near Vadodara, Shah said the survey to develop the township on the eastern part of Por up to river Jambuva was over but there are problems because of non-availability of water. The chairman, however, said that the township, to be spread over 1,200 hectares, would take at least six years to come up.

He announced that currently 14 town planning schemes under its jurisdiction were being finalised and three, including two in Padra, had been finalised.

Replying to a query on the branch canal of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) bringing floods to Vadodara, Shah said there were possibilities of this happening in Sama. He, however, added that a barrier is being created at a cost of Rs 6 lakh.

He claimed that the VUDA's plans of constructing a Transportnagar near Golden Chowkdi and developing the Timbi lake, a few kilometer away from here, would materialise in a short time. While the Transportnagar issue is under litigation, the VUDA is yet receive a final letter of no objection for developing the lake.

Earlier, the State Government in its letter had stated that the land has to be kept reserved for resettling Project Affected Families (PAFs). The VUDA then wrote back stating that PAFs cannot be resettled in a lake.

Shopping centres in Padra, underground drainage schemes in Varnama, Karodia and Bajwa and, making residential and commercial units in Gorwa are among several works initiated during the last one year, he stated.