THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 42 wards of the corporation are facing acute water shortage, with leaks in pipelines running beneath newly-laid Smart City roads and stretches under the custody of the Public Works Department (PWD) and Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) disrupting supply.
Amid a tussle between departments, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has been unable to carry out repair works in several locations as it is yet to receive permission for digging up the road from the authorities concerned.
A KRFB official alleged that Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) had sanctioned around Rs 27 crore for pipeline rectification works prior to development of Smart Roads. “Recently, Rs 21 crore was returned to SCTL. KWA had sufficient time, funds and resources to address issues related to water supply lines before the roads were tarred. Now, it wants to dig up the newly-laid roads,” the official said.
The official also said contractors entrusted with the maintenance of the roads are unwilling to take responsibility for restoration after excavation. “The contractors are not ready for defect liability. Restoration work cost a lot. Also, once the roads are dug up, perfect restoration is difficult and the stretches may be uneven.”
However, a KWA official maintained that there is no severe crisis and that water is being supplied for eight hours daily. “The issue is that many households do not have adequate storage facilities.
We have submitted proposals seeking permission for excavation at 10 locations to fix leaks, and our contractors are ready to begin work,” the official said. The KWA also alleged that SCTL is yet to provide detailed maps indicating the exact alignment of pipelines beneath the roads.
SCTL authorities, on the other hand, claimed that KWA itself is unsure about the exact location of the leaks. “In the Attakulangara stretch, we allowed excavation to fix one leak. Now KWA has again sought permission to dig up the same stretch citing another leak,” an SCTL official said.
The corporation has decided to convene separate meetings with officials from the PWD, KRFB, SCTL and KWA. Mayor V V Rajesh said the larger concern is the inadequate water supply from the Aruvikkara source. “Around 42 wards are facing difficulties, and in a recent meeting, KWA said issues in at least 30 wards would be addressed soon,” Rajesh said.