The Hindu          27.12.2011

Erode Corporation to seek Rs. 90 crore more to expand UGD project

The Erode Corporation will seek around Rs. 90 crore additionally from the State government to expand its underground drainage (UGD) project to two town panchayats and five village panchayats that have been added to its limits recently.

The B.P. Agraharam and Suriyampalayam town panchayats and the nearby Thindal, Villarasampatti, Gangapuram, Muthampalayam and Ellapalayam villages were merged with the Corporation, taking the total number of wards in the civic body to 60.

The government had earlier sanctioned over Rs. 200 crore for the implementation of the project for Erode town (former municipal areas) and four municipalities – Surampatty, Veerappan Chatram, Periya Semur and Kasipalayam. These municipalities were also merged with the Corporation recently.

“We now have to lay sewage pipelines to cover the areas that fall under the two town panchayats and five village panchayats. We will be preparing a detailed project report to cover the added areas in the UGD project and submit it to the government. It is likely to cost us around Rs. 90 crore,” Corporation sources said. The Corporation has divided the project under five packages and works listed under Package I and III are being implemented currently. Package IV is under review with the tender award committee. The Corporation council has postponed its decision on selecting the contractors for the execution of Package II and V. “If the government sanctions more fund, we will be creating Package VI and place it before the council for approval,” the sources said.