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Choondy water scheme: pipe-laying work on

Staff Reporter

Delay in securing permission to dig roads

KOCHI. Work on augmentation of the water supply scheme to Thripunithura and adjoining panchayats, known as the Choondy scheme, of the Kerala Water Authority, is progressing.

Pipe-laying has been completed along a stretch of 4 km. out of the total 14 km.

Work on the 46 MLD (million litres a day) scheme to bring water from the Muvattupuzhayar River to Thripunithura Municipality and neighbouring panchayats began before August.

However, delay in securing permission to dig the road for pipe-laying work has affected the pace of work, according to sources.

However, KWA officials say there is no cause for worry, as obtaining permissions could be worked out at the Government level.

The KWA has to get the permission from the Public Works Department (PWD) as well as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for road-cutting.

A stretch of 14 km of the pipeline has to be laid along the road from Puthenkurissu to Karingachira as part of the scheme.

A portion of the stretch from Choondy to Puthenkurissu is part of the Kochi-Madurai NH-49 and comes under the purview of the NHAI.

NHAI estimate

The NHAI has given an estimate of the compensation for road-cutting. The KWA is implementing the scheme with a loan from the Federal Bank.

The 6 km-stretch of road from Karimukal Junction to Puthiya Road Junction, near Karingachira, was constructed by the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) and later handed over to the Public Works Department.

The KSTP has a five-year guarantee period over the road.

The construction of a sump and pump house at Karingachira is another major part of the work.

Another tank has to be constructed near the Hill Palace premises also.

Service reservoir

A service reservoir of 10 lakh-litre capacity has to be constructed at Thiruvankulam to meet the needs of the panchayat.

The Choondy scheme is expected to augment water supply to Thripunithura as well as Chottanikkara, Thiruvankulam and Maradu panchayats along with some parts of the Udayamperoor Panchayat.

The water will be collected from Ramamangalam and stored at the plant at Choondy from where it will be pumped to Karingachira.

The water supply scheme is expected to be completed by 2008, as per the present schedule.

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