The 355-km sewer network project, already 10 years in the making, is likely to miss the year-end deadline set by an empowered committee of the government.
The delay is because the Railways is yet to give approval for laying trunk lines (main pipelines) carrying sewage water below railway lines at Yekkur and near Mangalore Central Railway Station. In addition, rock blasting for laying a 5-metre trunk line near Surathkal is yet to be over.
Ready but no power
Besides, eight wet wells (sewage collection points) and two sewage treatment plants (STPs) though ready are awaiting power supply for operation.
According to a top official, these issues have held up the whole project from completing.
All these are part of the project of the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) for Mangalore City Corporation called Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environmental Management Project (KUDCEMP). The projects are being implemented with a loan from the Asian Development Bank. M. Yashwant Raj, Executive Engineer, and in-charge Superintending Engineer, KUDCEMP, said that though the Railways has not opposed laying the trunk lines, it has not issued the formal letter of approval for laying a 91-metre pipeline near the Central Railway Station and a 100-metre pipeline near Yekkur railway bridge.
The 91-metre-long pipeline near the Central Railway Station will carry the sewage water from houses and other buildings in Attavar and Kaprigudda to Pandeshwar wet well.
From there it will be pumped to Kudroli wet well from where it will be pumped to Kavoor sewage treatment plant (STP).
Crucial line
He said that laying a 100m trunk line under the railway line at Yekkur bridge is crucial for pumping sewage water from Shivbagh, Jayanagar, Maroli, Padil, Tarethota, Bajal, Yekkur and Jeppinamogaru to an STP at Jeppinamogaru.
Unless these two projects are completed, connections from houses to manholes cannot be given in those areas.
Mr. Raj said that because of poor performance of four electrical contractors, their contracts were terminated and bids were invited for balance works last month. The new contractors, who will be selected, will have to get power connection to eight wet wells and two sewage treatment plants.
