Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Sewerage network to be refurbished

G.Mahadevan

KWA prepares Rs.435-crore project

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city's ageing and dilapidated sewerage network is all set to get a major facelift under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for which the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has prepared a Rs. 435 crore project.

The priority of the first phase of the project — that was approved by the city corporation council on December 29, 2006 — is the construction of a 120 mld sewerage treatment plant (STP) at Muttathara. KWA's Superintending Engineer K. Mohan told The Hindu that the treatment plant will have the capacity to treat the entire sewerage generated daily from the corporation limits. "The plant will help put an end to the pollution of the Parvathy Puthanar caused by overflow from the city's sewage farm. The proposal is to set up an activated sludge treatment plant," he added.

The other proposals included in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the first phase are the rehabilitation of the existing network and the sewerage pump houses in Blocks A and B, the augmentation of the network in the Mudavanmugal area, the introduction of a sewerage network at Kanjiravilakam, Kalapaka Nagar and areas coming under the former Ulloor, Kadakampalli, Attipra, Nemom and Thiruvallam panchayats.

For the rehabilitation of the sewerage network in Blocks A and B, the DPR envisages laying 10 km of fresh pipelines of varying sizes, strengthening of 40 manholes, construction of a `wet well' at the Thaliyal pump house, the installation of a generator and replacement of pumps there. All this is expected to cost Rs.8.92 crore. The drainage facility was first introduced in areas coming under Block A in 1945.

The sewerage system at Mudavanmugal was commissioned in 1973. Here the DPR proposes laying 11.2 km of new pipelines to enhance the carrying capacity of the network and the construction of a grit chamber, a wet well-cum-pump house and the installation of new pumps and generators — all at a cost of Rs.14.44 crore.

Kanjiravilakom and Kalpaka Nagar come under Block C of the city's current sewerage network — a block that covers such areas as Pettah, Palkulangara and Eenchakkal. Here the network has only been partially commissioned. The sewerage `lifting' station in this block has also been commissioned partially. What the DPR now proposes is to finish the job begun years ago by laying the remaining length of lines required, constructing a grit chamber and installing pumps and a generator. With this, Block C can be fully integrated into the city's sewerage network. These works are expected to cost Rs.3.99 crore.

The introduction of the sewerage network in Ulloor, Attipra and Kadakampalli will entail the laying of 145.5 km of pipelines. Of this 129.7 km will have gravity lines and the rest, pumping mains. Eight pumping stations will also be set up in these areas where people are now solely dependent on septic tanks, pit latrines and community toilets. For all this the DPR calculates an expenditure of Rs.153.8 crore. The same process at Nemom and Thiruvallam will require the laying of 128.24 km of pipelines (including 16 km of pumping mains) and the construction of four pumping stations at a total cost of Rs.141.75 crore.

The projects are scheduled for completion in three years beginning 2007. According to the DPR, the estimated cost for all works have a `cushion' of 15 per cent for the cost of material and 30 per cent for labour charges as a revision in the schedule of rates is expected prior to the launch of the project.

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