Water supply was back to normal in the capital only by Tuesday evening, even though the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) managed to plug the leaks on the main transmission line from Aruvikkara by 9 pm on Monday.

 ‘’We re-started pumping around 9 pm on Monday. Water supply is now back to normal,’’ a KWA engineer said. In fact, parts of the city had gone without water for nearly four days after the KWA discovered a leak on the 1,200 mm transmission main which brings water from Aruvikkara to the city on Saturday. A second rupture was discovered soon after and the KWA had launched an all-out effort to plug the leak and restore water supply to normal.

 High-line areas of the city and major residential areas were hit even though the KWA pressed into service several tanker lorries for supplying water.

 The work was to have been completed by Sunday evening, but the KWA could not meet this deadline. A second deadline set for Monday noon also could not be met. KWA officials had attributed the delay to the depth at which the pipeline was laid. KWA engineers had to re-lay a concrete pipe with MS pipe.

Citizens have been asked to promptly utilise the services of 24-hour call centre 155304 to register their grievances as they will be solved on priority basis, GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar has said.

If the grievances are not addressed at the first level, they will be taken up at the  next level and the redress of grievances is monitored by officers of all levels including the commissioner.

During the Prajavani programme held at GHMC head office on Monday, he urged citizens to approach the offices of deputy commissioners and zonal commissioners to get their grievances resolved. People can approach the head office only if their grievances are not settled at the DMC or ZC level, he said, adding that only certain cases concerning town planning were not getting solved quickly because of legal issues and double claims on properties.

On LRS and BPS applications, he said the corporation was planning to hold a special camp for a week at the circle level to deal with pending applications.

With regard to maintenance of toilets, the commissioner said a special survey was being conducted and the GHMC would later take up  maintenance of the toilets in an appropriate way and construct toilets wherever needed.

He admitted that the toilets for women were in deplorable condition and said the GHMC was planning to build toilets at every 500 metres.