Source : The Hindu Date : 22.06.2009
New water scheme to be functional in 15 months
Special Correspondent
| Financial estimate revised to Rs.169 cr. from Rs.144.86 cr. |
— Photo: M. Moorthy. 
SPOT VISIT: Transport Minister K.N. Nehru, second from left, inspecting the construction of a collector well on the Coleroon near Melur on Sunday.
TIRUCHI: The drinking water supply augmentation scheme for Tiruchi, being executed with financial assistance from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, will be commissioned within 15 months, Transport Minister K.N. Nehru said here on Sunday.
The financial estimate of the project, originally put at Rs.144.86 crore, has now been revised to Rs.169 crore. The project seeks to increase the per capita drinking water supply to 135 litres a day and ensure equitable distribution to all parts of the city.
The project has been split into eight major packages such as construction of infiltration/collector wells, laying of distribution mains, improvements to existing line and construction of overhead tanks.
Currently work is under way on two of the packages, for the construction of three collector wells on the Coleroon.
Each of these wells would tap about 31 million litres a day (MLD).
The new scheme will tap about 58.60 MLD immediately on completion and 93.26 MLD in the ultimate stage in 2039.
Currently, a major portion of the city’s water requirement, about 86 MLD, is tapped from the Cauvery.
Mr.Nehru, along with Collector T.Soundiah, Mayor S.Sujatha and Corporation Commissioner T.T.Balsamy, inspected the construction of the collector wells near Melur on the Coleroon on Sunday.
The Minister said bids for the re-tenders for four other packages were scheduled to be opened on July 9 and the works would start soon.
“The works on the different packages would be executed simultaneously and the pumping mains from the Collector Wells of the scheme would be linked to the city’s existing distribution network,” Mr.Nehru said.
About 35 additional overhead tanks (OHTs), with a total storage capacity of 163 lakh litres, would come up in various parts of the city under the new scheme, in addition to the existing 54.
Additional distribution mains have been proposed for a total stretch of over 262 km.
Mr. Soundiah said the project schedule was 18 months and efforts were being made to complete it in 12 to 15 months.
Wilbur Smith Associates have been appointed consultant to conduct a survey and prepare the detailed project report for the final two packages, which envisage the revamping of the existing drinking water distribution network in the city. Works on the two packages would also begin soon, Mr.Balsamy said.
MLA Anbil Periyasamy, City Engineer S.Raja Mohammed and other officials accompanied the Minister.
