ANANTAPUR: Roads in Anantapur city are badly damaged due to lack of proper rectification measures during laying of new drinking water pipelines for the past one year.
In addition to this, prolonged delay in releasing part bills to the construction company has been reportedly increasing dust pollution as the dug roads are not maintained properly, according to norms.
Most of the CC and BT roads in the city have lost their shape during laying of drinking water pipelines. The AMC took up the replacement of water distribution pipelines in all colonies of the city along with connecting main line at Kudair, which has pipeline from Penna Ahobilam balancing reservoir, near Uravakonda.
Around Rs 155 crores was sanctioned towards the project to replace the 340 km-long old pipeline. With the three-decades-old long drinking water pipeline getting damaged and causing contamination from closed drainages, Anantapur Municipal Corporation initiated for replacement of old pipelines throughout the city.
As part of the new pipeline project, the civic authorities had proposed for construction of 10 Elevated Service Reservoir (ELSR) tanks in various parts of the AMC. Around five ELSR tanks were designed to store 1,000 kilo litres while one tank could store 1,500 kl, two tanks were designed with capacity of 800 kl and two others with 600 kl storage capacity to prevent disrupt in distribution.
The AMC had entered into an agreement with a construction company to complete the works by March this year but extended it by six more months for completion of phase – I of the project.
In the first phase, the construction company had to complete construction of tanks and also distributor pipelines up to the door step of each household. The AMC wanted to set up digital meters, along with connecting to central system, for helping to draw water in each house in the second phase.
An engineer from the AMC observed that the delay in sanctioning part bills to the construction company has been creating problems. Even as the contractor was directed to rectify the road, either CC or BT layer with a separate road roller, most of the roads were not properly rectified.
Many roads in the busy area of Kamala Nagar, Old Town and AP Housing Board colony witnessed poor quality work. The engineering section failed to initiate measures to avoid pollution from dust, during the work.
