CHENNAI: The residents of Manapakkam, Ramapuram and Okkiyam Thoraipakkam will continue to bear the brunt of irregular water supply, dug-up roads and severe traffic snarls for at least another year and a half as the contractor of the Metro water and sewerage pipeline project in the areas has turned unresponsive due to a shortage of funds. The contract is most likely to be terminated.
Initiated in February 2014, at a cost of Rs 120 crore, the project was aimed at providing Metro water and sewage connection to houses in Ramapuram, and Metro water pipeline connection in Nandambakkam, Manapakkam and Okkiyam Thoraipakkam. The project was scheduled to be completed in February 2016, yet in 2018, 555 of the 1,564 streets in these areas are still devoid of pipelines.
“The contract was awarded to GKC Vishwa in 2014. While there was a delay in the initial years, the work was stalled in April 2018 due to financial issues. Their extended deadline is March 2019. However, if the party remains unresponsive, we will call for a re-tender and given the current costs, the remaining project would cost somewhere around `60cr-`70cr,” said a senior official from Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).
He said that the contractor’s office in Chennai has also been locked. Efforts by CE to reach them have been unsuccessful. The issues faced by these fast-developing localities because of the inordinate delay of the project are many. “Four sewage pumping stations are supposed to come up in Bharathi Salai, Tamil Nagar, Amman Nagar and Alankulam. Though pipelines have been laid in a few areas, the connection can be given to the stations only when pipelines are laid in all the 434 streets in the locality. Due to this, we are forced to spend at least Rs 600cr-Rs 700cr for disposal of sewage,” said Paul Dhas, president of the Ramapuram Residents Welfare Federation.
Residents of Okkiyam Thoraipakkam rue that they have been dependent on groundwater. “Despite paying water tax, we buy water from private tankers, and Metro water tankers seldom ply in our area,” said R Thangamani, a resident of the area. Many residents have made a request that at least an alternative must be provided till the work kickstarts.