KARIMNAGAR: In an era of administrative apathy that puts common man to hardship, officials of different departments joined hands to complete the works to lay an irrigation pipeline, passing underneath a railway line, within 24 hours, causing minimum inconvenience to commuters.
It was a rare show of unity, as the officials of Telangana Irrigation department, Railways, and labourers of contracting agencies worked relentlessly for 24 hours to lay a pipeline for Sripada Yellampalli project, crossing the Karimnagar - Nizamabad railway line between Gangadhara and Pudur.
The pipeline was laid to ensure adequate water supply to ayacut farmers of Gangadhara and Kodimyal lakes. The railway track was removed to an extent of 50 metres, to lay the pipeline and restored within 24 hours, though a worker lost his life in the process, while blasting a rock.
The railway authorities gave clearance for laying the pipeline after the last train passed on the track on June 17. However, as the workers dug up the ground underneath, they found boulders. While blasting the boulders using explosives, earth caved in and a worker was buried alive. The officials had to stop the work due to the accident, but they held discussions and resumed work to ensure that rail traffic is not affected.
“ The team worked relentlessly using heavy machinery and explosives for 24 hours to complete the works. The tracks were removed and boulders blasted to lay the pipeline.. The track was restored within 24 hours,” said an official of irrigation department on Sunday.
The work was supervised by Irrigation minister T Harish Rao over Whatsapp.