Flyover construction near Siruvani pipeline raises water supply concerns in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: Lack of coordination between the highways department and the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) may pose a threat to drinking water supply as a pillar of the Saibaba Colony flyover is being constructed very close to the Siruvani drinking water pipeline on Mettupalayam Road.
While the highways department allay fears of damage to the pipeline, CCMC officials said they were not informed about the construction.
According to sources, the highways department is constructing the flyover’s pillars on Mettupalayam Road without shifting the pipelines installed by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC).
The National Highways wing of the State Highways Department began the flyover construction on September 14. The 1 km long flyover is being constructed from Alagesan Road till MTP Road Bus Terminus.
As part of the project, the Mettupalayam Road in front of the MGR Wholesale Vegetable Market has been dug up to build the basement and pillars. The digging works are being carried out using large excavators and earth movers.
Sources in TWAD Board said Siruvani drinking water supply’s main underground pipeline runs in the middle of the road. While pipelines are usually installed on the edge of the road for easy access to carry out repair works, the Siruvani pipeline was installed in the middle of the road, sources said.
Despite finding a major drinking water pipeline in their construction site, the highway officials continued with the construction work without shifting the pipelines. “Carrying out the work without shifting the pipelines might damage the pipes. Also, if there are any leakages or bursts in the pipeline in future, one has to dig the road near the pillar’s basement which might affect the flyover’s strength. Officials must act in coordination and relocate the pipelines towards the edge of the road before any damage takes place,” said K Jayanth, a social activist.
Highways department officials said there wouldn’t be any issues and that shifting the pipeline was not necessary. Speaking to TNIE, a senior NH official in the Coimbatore division said, “There is around a two-metre gap between the pipeline and the pillar basement. So no damages will be caused to the pipeline. There won’t be any issues with the pipes because of the pillar works.”
When inquired about it, an official from the engineering section of CCMC said the highways department didn’t inform them about the pipeline. “The highways department may be carrying out the work without shifting the pipes to avoid paying money for relocating the pipeline. We shall inspect the place soon and alert higher officials about it,” added the official.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said, “I shall immediately check out the matter. If there is enough space between the pipelines and pillars as claimed by highways department, then there is no problem and shifting of the pipelines won’t be required. I will ask officials to inspect the place and check it out. If there is a possibility of issues popping up in the future, then we shall ask the highways department to shift the pipelines right away.”