Kerala - Kochi   

Augmentation project work in progress

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, MAY 1. The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has stepped up the work of the ad hoc water supply augmentation project to Kochi in spite of the impending general election. The Minister for Water Resources, T.M. Jacob, himself had set the ball rolling by announcing the decision to re-tender the pipe laying work in the seven-kilometre stretch between Nirmala School and Pookkattupadi.

The project, which had remained dormant by and large owing to lack of funds, got a boost with the Federal Bank coming forward to offer a loan of Rs. 50 crores. The first instalment of Rs. 10 crores had already been released.

According to top officials of the KWA, the project could be completed by the end of next year. A review meeting held a few days ago had fixed a deadline of May 2005 for completion of the project.

Originally estimated to cost Rs. 50 crores, the augmentation project, formerly known as Hudco project, is aimed at increasing the water supply to Greater Cochin areas by pumping an additional 25 mld of water to West Kochi and 10 mld of water to Vypeen through an additional 1200-mm main line. According to the revised estimates, the project will cost Rs. 136 crores. Over Rs. 60 crores had already been spent on the project. Much of the land needed for the project had been acquired, though it involved long legal battles. About Rs. 12 crores had been spent for the land. The Vypeen component of the project is likely to be completed this year-end.

Apart from a long stretch of main pipeline, the project involves four tanks and a treatment plant. Three of the four tanks have been completed. The work on the last tank is currently on at Palluruthy. It is expected to be commissioned next month. It will have a capacity of 81 lakh litres. The tank at Vaduthala has a capacity of 25 lakh litres, at Elamkulam 65 lakh litres and Puthuvypeen 50 lakh litres.

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