Urban News

The Hindu 04.09.2009

Work on drinking water project to begin shortly

Staff Reporter

— Photo: A. Shaikmohideen

Easy collection: Mayor A.L. Subramanian (third from right) handing over the keys of the specially designed garbage collecting lorries at Tirunelveli Corporation on Thursday.

TIRUNELVELI: With the council deciding in favour of the local body bearing the additional expense of Rs.2.57 crore over the estimated cost of Rs.14.87 crore for executing the drinking water scheme for wards 19, 26 and 27, the formal foundation stone laying ceremony for this much-awaited project is expected to take place shortly.

As most of the areas of these wards, situated on the peripheral areas of Palayamkottai, are getting drinking water only through lorries, the Corporation forwarded a proposal to the government for executing a drinking water scheme on an outlay of Rs. 14.87 crore.

Giving its nod for this project, the Director of Municipal Administration also gave its permission to get the funding for this project from KfW Line of Credit through Tamilnadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL).

However, the lowest bidder of this contract was not prepared to accept the contract for Rs.14.87 crore as it had quoted Rs.16.66 crore, forcing the Corporation to negotiate with this firm on various occasions that ultimately brought down the price to Rs.16.35 crore, which is still 9.96 per cent above the Corporation’s estimate.

Following this development, the Corporation approached the Regional Tenders Approval Committee for its permission to bear the additional expenditure of Rs.2.57 crore from its general fund, for which the Council also accorded its permission in the meeting held here on Thursday.

“Since the Council has agreed to bear this extra expenditure, foundation stone for this drinking water scheme will be laid shortly,” said a senior official of the corporation.

Addressing the Council, Mayor A.L. Subramanian appealed to the members to help the officials in enrolling the poor families for the ‘Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme’.

Palayamkottai Zone chairman Suba. Seetharaman noted that the Councillors should also be included in the scheme.

Later the Mayor handed over the specially designed lorries to collect garbage to all four zones of the Corporation.

The Hindu 04.09.2009

Storm water drains to be strengthened

Special Correspondent

— Photo: R. Ashok

FACILITATED: A culvert being built across the Karur By-Pass Road in Tiruchi to provide a vital link to a storm water drain.

TIRUCHI: The strengthening of the road network and storm water drains in the Thillai Nagar area with assistance from the German Development Bank, Kfw, is expected to provide relief from flooding of the arterial roads during the monsoon.

The Thillai Nagar Main Road, which was widened and re-laid recently, and the Salai Road were provided with storm water drains. These were among a slew of works taken up by the Tiruchi Corporation at a cost of Rs.24.30 crore with financial assistance from Kfw.

Several other cross roads linking Thillai Nagar and Shastri Road were widened and provided with storm water drains on both sides.

The corporation has taken up construction of a culvert at the KT-Theatre traffic intersection across the Karur By-Pass Road.

The structure will provide a vital link to the storm water drain that was built along the Salai Road.

The culvert, corporation officials say, would prevent flooding of the arterial roads in the area including the Salai Road and Shastri Road during the monsoon season.

Officials point out that the overflowing of the Irattai Vaical often resulted in the flooding of the Salai Road and the building of the storm water drain would bring about a permanent solution to the problem.

The existing culvert of the Irattai Vaical, across the Salai Road, is also planned to be developed and strengthened soon. Besides, a stretch of a small channel running across Annamalai Nagar is proposed to be revived. Currently, the channel has been completely silted up.

The construction of the culvert across the By-pass Road, which is currently under way necessitating traffic diversions, is expected to be completed by the end of this month. The culvert will be built in two stages – first on one half of the by-pass road and subsequently on the other half.