The Public Works Department’s (PWD) sewerage project in Mapusa, which is funded by Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA), is expected to be completed by May.
This project was awarded to Simplex Infrastructure Ltd (SIL) in September 2012 for execution, and after completing the design work, the first pipe was laid in March 2013.
SIL project in-charge Atanu Das has stated that night soil will be collected from residential and commercial areas in Mapusa and sent to the sewerage treatment plant (STP) that is being set up in Kamarkhazan, Mapusa.
He continued, “In the STP, water and sewage will be segregated. The waste water will go to a sludge chamber through clariflocculator. In the sludge chamber, sludge will be diverted to a sludge bed and the water will be purified through hypochlorite dozing system and released for irrigation purpose.”
When the tender was awarded to SIL, the length of the pipes to be laid for sewerage purposes was specified as 25 kms, which was later extended to 35 kms as additional areas were brought under this project. For the purpose of sewerage work, Mapusa town has been divided into three zones. Khorlim comes under Zone 1, Mapusa market and adjoining areas are under Zone 2, the court and district hospital are under Zone 3/1 and Kamarkhazan, where the STP is being constructed, is in Zone 3/2.
Das further stated that the work in Zone 3/2 has been completed, while the work in Zones 1 and 2 has been completed to the extent of 95 percent and 75 percent respectively. The work in Zone 3/1 has just begun.
There will be 1,500 manholes and the spacing between two manholes will be 30 meters. The work of 866 manholes has been completed. Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology is being used in this project. For the first time in India, this technology has been used for higher diameter (560 to 900 mm) pipes. SIL could complete the work faster because of the support it received from Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Sandeep Falari and MMC Vice Chairperson Merlyn D’Souza. “The Dy CM and MMC Chairperson had visited the project site several times to check the progress of the project. Some people had objected to the road digging work in their wards, which resulted in a delay. Once the works have been completed, all internal roads will be tarred by the PWD,” said Das.
Meanwhile, Falari stated, “I have been constantly supervising this project since the beginning. I have requested SIL to complete the project before the monsoons. Around 70 to 80 percent of the residential buildings will be covered under this project, which will improve the quality of life of Mapusekars and prevent contamination of well water. This project is the need of the hour.”
