The much publicised nala widening project, to prevent monsoon flooding in the city, has remained an unaccomplished task less than a week or two before the onset of rains. While the failure in reaching the target of property acquisition has certainly hit the project, delay is also caused by the need to shift utilities from along the nalas.
As per information available with the GHMC officials, a total of 103 utilities were identified to be obstructing the nala widening across all the zones, almost all of which were water supply lines.
The pipelines ranged from 100 mm to 1500 mm in diameter and are located at varying heights from the nalas’ bed levels.
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Of the 103, GHMC has determined that at 16 locations the pipelines need not be shifted for the widening to take place. A total of 42 pipelines were identified for shifting on top priority. However, actual shifting was completed only at three locations so far, while work is in progress at 11 locations.
Remaining works are in various stages of estimates and tendering, officials informed. Joint inspections are being done along with water board officials, before estimates are prepared by the board, with GHMC willing to bear the costs, officials said.
Removal of encroachments too had not been moving at desired pace. After a joint survey done along with Irrigation and Revenue officials, the GHMC has identified 12,153 structures which are being affected in nala widening. Of them, 1067 temporary structures were removed in 2016-17 in a special drive.
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After the flooding of various locations during 2017 rains, the GHMC had, at the State government’s behest, taken up another drive to identify 46 bottlenecks in the nalas to widen, for which 846 properties would have to be demolished. So far, only 357 properties have been removed.
The removal of encroachments could turn out to be a much more laborious process than expected as quite a few structures are over two-storey buildings, including one six-storey building in the North zone.
When questioned by corporators in the recent General Body meeting, West Zone Commissioner D. Harichandana informed that advance possession of double-bedroom dwellings were being given to the families set to be displaced by the removal of encroachments. Chief City Planner S. Devender Reddy has told that where stiff resistance was encountered, properties would be acquired through Land Acquisition Act. In all probability, this would lead to legal battles which could drag the project further.