Godavari water project stalled

• Ring Main works stopped

• Water Board is cash-strapped

• Needs Rs 350 crore more to complete the project

• Will not meet the March 2014 deadline

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Work on the Godavari Drinking Water Supply Project, also known as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Hyderabad Sujala Sravanthi Scheme, was on full swing, until the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) realised that they were cash-strapped. With nearly 80 per cent of the project complete, the Water Board is seeking a loan of Rs 350 crore. However the state government, which has already allotted Rs 1,500 crore for the project, seems to be least interested in granting additional funds.

The installation of an intake well at the Yellampalli barrage in Karimnagar district, the origin of the Godavari Drinking Water Project, to draw 172 million gallons per day (MGD) of water, is almost complete. The pending works include the construction of Ring Mains, as these are essential for the distribution of water from the master balancing reservoir at Ghanpur to the existing reservoirs at Lingampally and Sainikpuri.

The Ring Main-I and Ring Main-II works, which were expected to be completed by March 2014, are now stalled due to lack of funds. Ring Main-I would supply water to Qutubullapur and Serilingampally reservoirs and Ring Main-II would supply water to Shamirpet, Alwal, Kapra and Malkajgiri reservoirs. These Ring Mains are spread over 67 km, but till date, only 15 km have been completed.

In a recent review meeting, the Chief Minister also expressed his displeasure over slow progress of the project.

Sources confirm, “The Water Board has written to the Revenue Department for additional funds, but they have not responded.”

It may be recalled that the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) had agreed to finance Phase-I of the Rs 3,375 crore project, by lending a loan of Rs 2,000 crore. The project was taken up with initial budgetary support of the state government and, accordingly, all agencies commenced work in December 2008.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) had reportedly cleared the allocation of 50 acres of land at Ghanpur to the HMWS&SB, for construction of a master balancing reservoir as part of the project. Once the reservoir comes up at Ghanpur, about 80 km from Hyderabad, it will be the biggest balancing reservoir in the country, claimed officials.

The project aims to draw 172 mgd (10 tmc) of water to the city. So far, the pipeline has been laid for a distance of 138 km, of the total length of 186 km.

The intake channel was completed by December but works on the intake well-cum-pump house is pending. Similarly, the 80 ml capacity reservoirs and pump houses at Bommakal and Kondapaka, also will not take off due to lack of funds.

The water treatment plants comprising raw water reservoir, clariflocculators, filter beds, chemical house, chlorination building and ancillary works, have been completed to an extent of 70 per cent. As far as the electro mechanical works are concerned, procurement of electrical panels, transformers, circuit brakers, required for all the four sub-stations have been completed to an extent of 80 per cent. The installation works are in progress.

A Water Board official was confident that all the electro-mechanical works would be completed by March 2014. But with the current state of affairs, this dream project might not be completed by the year-end.