The Hindu

Water pipeline between Surathkal and Baikampady yet to be commissioned 

• `MCC had promised to commission it by December 18'
• Work delayed due to land-related problem, says MCC

Mangalore, Dec 27: Work on four-laning of National Highway 17 between Surathkal and Mangalore is likely to be delayed further as Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) is yet to commission the water pipeline between Surathkal and Baikampady, six km-stretch.

According to sources in National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the implementing agency of four-laning of NH-17, NH-13 and NH-48 between Surathkal and B C Road, the MCC had promised to commission the pipeline by December 18. But it had not been done till Tuesday, they said.

The MCC officials had informed the NHAI that the commissioning would take another 10 days, the sources told The Hindu on Tuesday.

The NHAI has deposited Rs. 3.78 crore with the MCC in February 2005 for shifting the pipeline. The corporation should have shifted the line eight months ago, as promised by it, the sources said.

IRCON International Ltd., the agency that has been awarded the four-laning work, was not in a position to cut the existing water supply line unless the MCC allowed water in the new pipeline, they said.

When contacted an official of the MCC told The Hindu that laying of the pipeline in certain stretches was delayed due to land-related problem. The MCC could not lay the pipeline, as the NHAI had not taken those stretches into its possession. The pipeline could not be diverted into other land unless it was under the NHAI's possession, the official said.

For example, the MCC was yet to lay the pipeline to a length of 20 m near Surathkal market, as the NHAI had not taken the land into its possession.

The official said that the corporation was attempting to shift the pipeline between Surathkal and Panambur by the first week of January.

Litigation pending

However, an official of the NHAI said that the land near the market could not be taken into its possession, as there was litigation pending in court. The MCC was aware of it, and the NHAI had taken measures to get the litigation cleared, the official said.

In the meetings held between the corporation, the NHAI and the Deputy Commissioner of the district, it had been decided that wherever such problems existed the MCC could connect the new pipeline to the old one, the official said.

In one such meeting, the MCC had agreed to shift the pipeline in the six km-stretch by October 20 last.

The Deputy Commissioner had also instructed the MCC to connect the new pipeline to the old one in the stretches where problems existed.

The official said that problems were bound to appear in such projects. If the MCC waits until all problems were solved, it might take two years to shift the pipeline between Surathkal and B.C. Road.

Cooperation needed

The MCC should have shifted at least 18 km of the pipeline between the two final destinations by this time, the official said.

The four-laning work could be completed only if the MCC cooperated with the NHAI, and ensured that at least four km of pipeline was shifted per month, the official added.