Sewerage plan still on paper

Officials say contractors reluctant because of possible local resistance

A major project for a sewerage system under the Central government’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme has remained a non-starter as contractors are reluctant to take up the work in various parts, despite multiple tender calls. The project covering the Kazhakuttam-Technopark-Medical College area is aimed at drastically improving the sewerage system in the city.

“The work on the whole network is divided into various parts. Till now, only a line from Edathara has been taken up by a contractor. There are lines for which we have given three tender calls, with no response. Small contractors might not have enough resources to take it up. Others might be reluctant because they anticipate resistance from the local people,” said a Corporation official.

Expansion of the sewerage networks within the core city areas to improve the utilisation of the sewage treatment plant at Muttathara is one of the key projects to be taken up under the AMRUT scheme. The areas in the core city, which are missing from the sewerage system, are also being connected through this. Some of these works in around four small stretches have already been completed, while the same problem of contractors not responding plague some others.

Inadequate network

The Muttathara sewage treatment plant that has a capacity to treat 107 million litres of waste water a day is currently running at around 30% capacity, mainly owing to the lack of sewerage lines in a major part of the city.

Only one contractor has responded to a tender for the construction of a multilevel car parking complex at the Putharikkandam Maithanam and at the Corporation office. The technical proposal of the bidder has been sent to the Local Self-Government Department for vetting.

Another major project is for a water treatment plant at Aruvikkara, in the Kerala Water Authority’s land. The work is expected to be taken up soon, after site clearance and other formalities. The development of a park, stretching close to a km at the Station Kadavu-Pound Kadavu area, is part of AMRUT. The local body is waiting for a few more NOCs before going ahead with the work.

The deadline for the AMRUT scheme is March 2020, by which time some of these works will be completed. But the case of works like the sewerage system still remains doubtful.