CHENNAI: Even as Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metro Water) is in the process of finalising the contractors to implement the ring main system to ensure uniform water supply across the city, Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL), which is the executing agency of the project, has decided to appoint a consultant to supervise the work.
As per a TNUIFSL document, the consulting firm will assist and support Metro Water in implementation, contract management and construction supervision.
Metro Water has already floated a tender to implement the ring main system in three packages. Package-1 includes installation of pumping machinery, creation of feeder mains, surge protection devices, instrumentation and IT-related works.
Package-2 will cover a part of the ring main and transmission mains covering 42.7 km, while Package-3 will cover the remaining 40.12 km. The Rs 3,100-crore project will be completed before February 2030 and the potential bidder will operate and maintain the system for 10 years, as per the document.
It may be noted that the state government had accorded in-principle approval to implement the project with a loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB). Under the project, drinking water sources such as lakes and desalination plants will be interlinked by a ring pipeline, which will ensure uniformity in water supply across the city.
On the other hand, Metro Water has proposed to conduct ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys as pre-construction planning to identify underground facilities of Metro Rail, Chennai Corporation, telecom agencies, and Metro Water itself. Based on the survey results, detailed utility relocation plans will be prepared.