With land disputes threatening to derail the 120-mld Neyyar water supply project, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has identified another plot of land for establishing the water treatment plant and allied facilities.
The KWA has finalised a decision to set up the treatment plant on five acres of land owned by the Irrigation Department in Kallikadu village in Kattakada taluk. The State-run water utility has decided to seek clearance from the State government for constructing the water treatment facilities on this site.
Incidentally, the KWA’s initial choice was another site, a six-acre plot it had received in a nearby location over which an ownership dispute had subsequently developed.
This delayed the ₹56.2-crore project.
The present decision to change the location would not cause any major disruption in the scope of work or incur additional financial commitment, a KWA official said.
One of the biggest water supply projects in the KWA kitty at the moment, the Neyyar project envisages a supply of 100 million litres a day (mld) to Thiruvananthapuram city, while 20 mld will be supplied to the Vilappil, Vilavoorkal, Maranalloor and Malayinkeezhu panchayats.
Although the project was initially scheduled for commissioning by March 2021, disputes regarding the six acres transferred by the Irrigation Department to the KWA in 2018 delayed the project.
The KWA had awarded the contract for constructing the treatment plant at Neyyar to the Thiruvananthapuram-based Chicago Constructions International Pvt Ltd in 2019.
The government had issued orders transferring the six acres held by the Irrigation Department to the KWA in February 2020.
Floating intake
The 120-mld project involves the deployment of a floating intake system in the Neyyar reservoir, allied infrastructure, and the construction of the treatment plant.
The construction of a transmission main to the capital city is being taken up as a separate project.
