At a time when the Coimbatore Corporation is battling water crisis by rationing the supply of water to once in 12 days, comes the news that the civic body’s ambitious plan to regulate water supply by way of the 24x7 drinking water supply project is delayed.
Sources in the Coimbatore Corporation say that the civic body has floated a fresh tender inviting bids from eligible companies to execute the ₹556.57 crore project to supply water 24x7 to the old city areas - 60 wards.
The fresh tender - second call - is valid till March 27, 2017.
The Corporation floated the first tender in November 2015, when it got approval to execute the project under the then Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission project.
The Central and State governments and the Corporation were to finance the project.
Two companies had expressed interest. They qualified for the second stage of the tender process - submission of request for proposal (RFP). The companies had asked several clarifications and queries, all of which the Corporation had answered.
But thereafter the companies did not respond even though the Corporation had given 12 extensions, Corporation sources say and add that it is now back to square one.
The project aims at improving water supply by revamping the city’s (60 wards’) water distribution network by replacing pipeline for 1,470 km and constructing 29 more service reservoirs so that the residents get water 24x7.
As part of the project, the Corporation is also taking steps to have an additional water sources - a third intake well in Pilloor Reservoir. Sources say that the TWAD Board that is executing the project is at the investigation stage.
The additional well will result in an additional 125 mld (million litres a day) supply to the city to take the total Pilloor water supply to 250 mld.
This will be in addition to the 65 - 70 mld the Corporation gets from Siruvani Reservoir.
But there is opposition to the execution of the 24x7 water supply project. The Corporation executing the project only to old city areas is unfair because it has to treat all residents, including those in added areas, on a par, argues K. Kathirmathiyon of Coimbatore Consumer Cause.
“For how long will the Corporation keep calling the 40 wards as added areas.”
He wants the Corporation to ration the supply of Siruvani water and take steps to supply groundwater to the old city areas, just as it was done in added areas, because drinking water is being supplied in plenty there.
