The Hindu              21.06.2013

Work on pipeline replacement begins

The municipal corporation unveiled plans to augment the drinking water supply by simply replacing the existing pipelines. Authorities hope to increase supply by around 3 million litres a day (MLD) over the next six months.

The earlier proposal to infiltrate the Tamiraparani bed in searcn of fresh water sources has been put on hold.

Leaks at 400 points

The 16-km-long asbestos pipes, laid between the main supply point at Kondanagaram and the Melapalayam overhead tank 30 years ago, have sprung leaks at more than 400 points.

As a result, the overhead tank receives just 5.60 MLD to 6 MLD a day though 9 MLD is pumped from the source, officials said.

They pointed out that pressure could not be mounted to boost water supply in view of the risk of the pipelines bursting.

The Corporation has forwarded a proposal to the State government recommending the replacement of the asbestos pipelines with ductile iron (DI) pipes of 400 mm diameter.

Rs. 9 crore sanctioned

“Chief Minister Jayalalithaa accepted the proposal and sanctioned Rs.9 crore as grant for the project which will be completed before December-end. Once this project is completed, water will not be lost during distribution,” said Mayor Vijila Sathyananth, who inaugurated the work on Thursday.

The Corporation has identified a Hyderabad-based company to execute the work.

The Hindu             19.06.2013

Shopping for fish, meat set to be better

Old slaughterhouse in Gandhi Market will be razed;new shops will come up there.

Consumers visiting the fish and meat sections of the Gandhi Market in the city could look forward to better amenities soon as the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation has decided to build new shops to accommodate the traders.

Built as part of the Gandhi Market, established in 1940, the shops behind the main Gandhi Market complex are in a dilapidated condition with decrepit walls and damaged roofs.

The fish and meat sections of the market have about 105 shops and the complex is situated amidst unhygienic surroundings being located right in front of the garbage dumping area. People had long been complaining over the lack of amenities and poor sanitary conditions at the market. Traders had been demanding construction of new shops to replace the existing ones.

The corporation has decided to build a new fish-cum-meat market section at the site where the old slaughterhouse had been functioning. A modern slaughterhouse is coming up at the adjacent site. The old slaughterhouse building would be demolished once the new facility is ready, paving the way for the construction of new shops for fish/meat markets. This way, the functioning of the fish and meat shops would continue unhindered until the new building was ready.

Corporation sources said the new market section would have better amenities. The civic body would soon draw up a design and project report for construction of the new shops. The corporation, a few months ago, had decided to renovate the Gandhi Market in phases.

TURIP

Giving a fillip to the corporation, attempts to improve the roads and drain network in the city, the State government has sanctioned Rs. 20 crore under the Tamil Nadu Urban Roads Infrastructure Project in 2013-14. The civic body had forwarded proposals worth Rs. 23.12 crore to the government and as per a government order, the corporation had been asked to bear the remaining Rs. 3.12 crore from its general fund.