With the monsoon ahead, Tiruchi Corporation has urged its contractors to expedite the underground drainage project works in the city.
Currently, two UGD projects are under execution in the city. While the phase-II UGD project has been undertaken at an estimate of ₹344 crore, it is executing the phase-III project at a cost of ₹336 crores. While phase II was designed to cover 15 wards, phase III was designed for 25 wards in the city. For the speedy completion of the UGD works, the civic body divided the phase-II project into three packages and awarded the contract to three different companies. The second package of the phase-II work began in July 2018. The first and third packages were also started subsequently. Similarly, the phase-III project was started in July 2020. The companies were asked to complete the works within two years from the date of awarding contract.
The deadline given to the companies to complete the projects is said to be over. However, none of the companies has completed the projects within the time frame. It is alleged that the works had been taking place at a slow pace. Several roads including important bus plying roads in the city have been dug up for executing the project.
According to sources, as of July, 7 about 69% of phase-II UGD works have been completed. The work completion percentage of phase III stands out to be 49. The Corporation, which is facing tremendous pressure from various quarters for the slow progress of work, is said to have expressed dismay with the representatives of the contractors of the UGD project in a recent meeting. Taking into account of the northeast monsoon season, which normally sets in the third week of October, the officials have asked them to complete all works in all areas, where roads have been dug up, before September.
“We review the progress of UGD works almost on a daily basis. The men and machinery have been doubled in recent weeks, We are in a position to complete most of work before the monsoon. I hope that we will achieve the target,” says M. Anbazhagan, Mayor, Tiruchi Corporation.
He said that most of the works in K.K. Nagar, Kattur, Ariyamangalam, Puthur, Thennur, Woraiyur, Salai Road, West Boulevard Road and Vellamandi Road had been completed. Provision of house connection was on in the areas, where the UGD works were conducted.
