Construction of a pumping station on the Cauvery riverbed near Melur as part of the new drinking water scheme to serve residents in five wards, which were added with Tiruchi Corporation in 2011, has begun.
In 2016, the civic body began the civil work of the ₹.63.70 crore drinking water project, aimed at supplying 135 litres per head to residents of 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 wards in Tiruverumbur, Kattur, and adjoining areas. For early completion of the project, the civic body divided the project into three phases: construction of pumping station; construction of overhead tanks; and laying of mains and distribution lines.
Under phase-I plan, it proposed to construct the pumping station on the riverbed of the Cauvery near Melur. A pumping main along with a pipe bearing bridge for about 500 metres was to be laid so as to connect the main with a pipe laid near Kambarasampettai so as to carry water to Tiruverumbur. The work was supposed to be completed by 2018.
While the civic body completed phase-II and phase-III works as per the plan, it could not start the construction of the pumping station due to stiff opposition from farmers in Melur and delay in getting a no-objection certificate from the Public Works Department for drawing water from the Cauvery riverbed. The farmers were apprehensive that the plan would deplete the groundwater. After a series of meeting with senior officials in Chennai, the civic body finally got the approval in 2018.
After solving all issues, the contractor, who bagged the phase-I work, began the construction work in February 2021. But, it was halted within a few months due to the timely opening of Stanley Reservoir in Mettur for irrigation in 2021 and its early opening in 2022. It is learnt that the pumping station work has been revived again after a long gap.
A senior official of the Corporation told The Hindu that works for constructing a pipe-bearing bridge had been taken up. Similarly, a bore well had to be sunk for eight metres. The work had to be completed before June 12 as chances of opening the Mettur dam for irrigation on time were bright. The contractor had been sensitised to complete the works as early as possible. A sum of ₹13 crore had been allotted to the pumping station work under the general fund of the Corporation.
