JICA pipes to Poojappura to be commissioned next month

Pipe-laying from Sasthri Nagar to Nemom, under JNNURM, enters final phase

Water will start flowing through the huge pipes laid with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) three years ago, to take water from the storage facility at PTP Nagar to water-starved areas at Poojappura, by mid-May with the Kerala Water Authority deciding to commission the project. Certain residential areas at Poojappura now get water only two hours a day.

Delayed

Pipeline from the 79.8 lakh litre-capacity tank at PTP Nagar to Pallimukku was laid in 2013, but pipe-laying work in areas such as Thirumala, Poojappura, Kunjalumoodu, Thamalam, Thiruvallam and Sasthri Nagar got delayed, making it difficult for the water utility to commission the much-anticipated project.

A senior official associated with JICA told

The Hindu that the project would be commissioned by mid-May and would be extended to Nemom area a few months later. “Almost all the work related to commissioning of the project has been completed. The commissioning of the project will help KWA supply more water to people residing in elevated localities at Thirumala and Poojappura,” the official said.

Under a related scheme, with funding from Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the work from Sasthri Nagar, near Poojappura, to Nemom has entered the final phase. “We expect this to be completed in a few months and after that water will be supplied from PTP Nagar to Karamana and Nemom, which are facing acute shortage these days,” said another official.

Water will be taken to the PTP Nagar tank from the 74 million litre a day capacity plant at Aruvikkara. The plant set up with assistance from JICA had already started functioning.

Coastal areas

Trial run of the distribution network to S.M. Lock, near Poonthura, began last week. By the end of this month, water will be supplied to coastal villages at Poonthura from the Iranimuttam tank.

The realisation of the project to supply water from PTP Nagar and Iranimuttam will bring to a close some of the drinking water augmentation projects assisted by JICA, which has put on hold its funding to KWA since last year.

Project to help KWA provide more water

to elevated areas

Trial run of distribution network to

S.M. Lock begins