Jisha Surya
Thiruvananthapuram: The continuing row over the digging of the newly-constructed Peroorkada-Vazhayila Road is likely to delay the ambitious pipe replacement work of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA). The recent pipe burst at Vazhayila has once again brought the issue to focus.
The only solution for the repeated pipe burst is the complete replacement of old pre-stressed concrete (PSC) pipes with mild steel (MS) pipes. The replacement work began from Aruvikkara in mid-January. Two batches of KWA workers are simultaneously executing works from the Aruvikkara and Irubam junctions. For the speedy completion of the work, a third batch has to begin work from Vazhayila. But, the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), which is the custodian of newly-laid Peroorkada-Vazhayila Road, opposes it vehemently.
It was decided that chief minister Oomen Chandy would convene a high-level meeting to sort out the issue. However, no meeting has been held so far. According to the KWA officials, sanction for road cutting was sought from the KRFB almost a year ago. “In the meetings held in May and October last year, KRFB had agreed to give sanction for road cutting,” said an assistant engineer in charge of works.
KRFB officials said the government should take a decision on the issue. “A decision will be taken only after the chief minister convenes the high-level meeting,” said KRFB chief operating officer P C Harikesh.
The alternative option suggested by the KRFB, to consider the Pipeline Road for the project, was not acceptable to KWA. “For that, we have to close the existing pipes, which supply water to the city. Also, any work in the area will damage the already laid pipes,” KWA officials said.
According to KWA engineers, it would take only 20 days to complete the works. “We need to dig a two-metre-wide trench on the side of the road to lay the pipes. One pipe is almost 12m long and we have to lay 100 such pipes. Since it is a straight road, we can lay six to seven pipes per day,” said KWA officials.
The KWA project is to replace PSC pipes, which was laid in 1999, with MS pipes in the 9-km stretch from Aruvikkara to Peroorkada.
Thiruvananthapuram: The continuing row over the digging of the newly-constructed Peroorkada-Vazhayila Road is likely to delay the ambitious pipe replacement work of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA). The recent pipe burst at Vazhayila has once again brought the issue to focus.
The only solution for the repeated pipe burst is the complete replacement of old pre-stressed concrete (PSC) pipes with mild steel (MS) pipes. The replacement work began from Aruvikkara in mid-January. Two batches of KWA workers are simultaneously executing works from the Aruvikkara and Irubam junctions. For the speedy completion of the work, a third batch has to begin work from Vazhayila. But, the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), which is the custodian of newly-laid Peroorkada-Vazhayila Road, opposes it vehemently.
It was decided that chief minister Oomen Chandy would convene a high-level meeting to sort out the issue. However, no meeting has been held so far. According to the KWA officials, sanction for road cutting was sought from the KRFB almost a year ago. “In the meetings held in May and October last year, KRFB had agreed to give sanction for road cutting,” said an assistant engineer in charge of works.
KRFB officials said the government should take a decision on the issue. “A decision will be taken only after the chief minister convenes the high-level meeting,” said KRFB chief operating officer P C Harikesh.
The alternative option suggested by the KRFB, to consider the Pipeline Road for the project, was not acceptable to KWA. “For that, we have to close the existing pipes, which supply water to the city. Also, any work in the area will damage the already laid pipes,” KWA officials said.
According to KWA engineers, it would take only 20 days to complete the works. “We need to dig a two-metre-wide trench on the side of the road to lay the pipes. One pipe is almost 12m long and we have to lay 100 such pipes. Since it is a straight road, we can lay six to seven pipes per day,” said KWA officials.
The KWA project is to replace PSC pipes, which was laid in 1999, with MS pipes in the 9-km stretch from Aruvikkara to Peroorkada.
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