Kochi: While most of the areas in West Kochi and suburban areas are reeling under acute drinking water scarcity, a major drinking water project which was expected to be commissioned by this month is stuck midway.

Though minister K. Babu announced earlier this year that Piravom project, which is expected to bring 100 MLD water to the parched areas of West Kochi, would be commissioned by December, works are still lagging behind. If the current progress is any indication, the project can be completed only by March.

A major hurdle that delayed timely completion of the project was the insistence of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on the restoration of NH 47 and its service road after laying the pipeline.

Though NHAI earlier gave the clearance for road cutting, the Authority demanded restoration of road using highly expensive materials. For the Kerala Water Authority, which is carrying out the project, restoring the road to NHAI’s high specification was not feasible.

To resolve the issue, Minister for Water Resources P.J Joseph convened a high level meeting last week in which the NHAI accepted the usual road restoration process.

The minister also asked the district collector to ensure immediate restoration of trenched roads after laying pipes. During the meeting, Minister Anoop Jacob raised the issue of the public agitation against delay in restoring roads dug for the project.

“Since the NHAI has agreed to relax their demand for expensive road restoration, road cutting works can start soon. It is expected that the project will not be delayed beyond March,” said corporation works committee chairperson Soumini Jain, who attended the high level meeting.

Though more than 70 per cent of the pipe-laying works have been completed, the KWA is yet to complete the tendering process for purchasing pipelines to finish the project.
The project, which was supposed to be completed by March 2012, was initially delayed due to opposition from the local people against digging up of the roads.