With National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) delaying permission to lay pipelines across the Salem — Bangalore National Highway, near Reddipatti Junction for Mettur — Salem Dedicated Water Supply Scheme, a technical team from Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department inspected a few places to find out alternate ways so that pipelines could be laid across the NH.
Led by K. Phanindra Reddy, Secretary, the team members along with corporation engineers studied the possibility of laying pipelines under the bridge near Karuppur. But it was found to be technically not feasible.
A team from the World Bank, which is funding the Rs. 283.09 crore project, recently asked corporation officials to find out alternative route so that the project is not delayed further.
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The project comprises two stages with five packages under Stage I and four packages under Stage II. Work order for Stage I was issued on August 27, 2010 and was scheduled to be completed by August 30, 2012.
Under package V of the scheme, work is to lay pipelines for 11.90km from Omalur — Tharamangalam Main Road to Mamangam and across the NH at Reddipatti Junction.
The corporation has already allotted Rs. 97.31 lakh for digging the road using trenchless technology. In spite of efforts by MPs and MLAs apart from the corporation officials, the delay in giving permission by NHAI to dig the road is stalling the project.
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Mr. Reddy held a meeting with corporation officials. It was decided to take up the matter with NHAI officials in New Delhi this week. “Only if the pipeline is allowed to cross the NH, the project can be completed successfully,” said a senior official.