Nehru inaugurates Phase IV of underground drainage scheme works in Tiruchi

Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru participating in a bhoomi pooja in Tiruchi on Friday. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The fourth phase of the underground drainage scheme to extend the sewer lines to more areas in the city got under way on Friday with Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru formally inaugurating the works.

Mr.Nehru also inaugurated the work on a pilot project which aims at providing 24×7 drinking water supply to six of the 60 wards in the city in a couple of years from now.

Phase IV of the underground drainage (UGD) scheme will be executed under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 scheme at a total cost of ₹230.61 crore. The Center will contribute ₹73.06 crore and the State government ₹66..42 crore for the project. KfW, the German Development Bank, will extend a loan of ₹45.57 crore and almost an equal amount as grant for the project.

The project would cover wards 8, 25, 46, 55, 56, 63, 64 and 64 spread over Linga Nagar, Uyyakondan Thirumalai, Pirattiyur, Olaiyur and Pasumai Nagar in the city. Underground sewer lines would be laid for a distance of about 143 km under the scheme to provide 16,500 house connections under this phase. The pumping mains will run for a distance of about 35.61 km. Nine pumping stations would be built.

The work order for the project has already being and the contract includes five years of operation and maintenance. The project is targeted to be completed by August 2027, the Tiruchi Corporation has said.

24×7 water supply

After participating in the bhoomi pooja marking the launch of the phase IV of the UGD scheme at Selva Nagar in Uyyakondan Thirumalai, Mr. Nehru inaugurated the works on a pilot project which seeks to supply round-the-clock water supply to six wards in the city at an event held at Nakshatra Nagar Park in ward 55 in the presence of Mayor M. Anbazhagan, Collector M. Pradeep Kumar , Corporation Commissioner V. Saravanan and other senior officials.

Under the initiative, wards 51,52,53,54,55 and 56 spread over Cantonment, Railway Junction, Ponnagar, Jaya Nagar, Viswas Nagar, Karumandapam andd Society Nagar would be supplied continuous water supply at a cost of ₹38.49 crore with State and Central funding, besides a loan from Tamil Nadu Urban Development Fund.

Drinking water distribution lines are to be laid for a distance of about 100.67 km and pumping mains for 1.10 km under the project. About 14,819 household connections would be provided. An estimated population of 1.25 lakhs would be supplied about 19.51 million liters a day (MLD) in the ultimate stage (2055) of the project. The project is targeted to be commissioned by September 2026.