PANJIM: Public Works Department (PWD) is wary due to the delay by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in laying a new water supply pipeline along the Merces-Bambolim highway stretch.
As part of the ongoing road widening of the NH 66 and subsequent flyover from Merces to Bambolim, the main water supply pipeline catering to Santa Cruz, Bambolim, Curca and Siridao, has been buried 10 meters deep with debris being dumped over it.
A fortnight ago, the Goa Medical College and Hospital in Bambolim and the surrounding villages faced acute shortage of water supply due to a breach to the pipeline resulting from the pressure of the debris. It took the PWD two days to locate the point of breach before the crack could be repaired and water supply restored after four full days of the areas going without water.
A senior official of the PWD informed that the NHAI had been requested several times by the department not to dump the debris on the pipeline as they could breach and burst due to the pressure. “However, citing that they have the requisite permission from competent authority, they kept dumping the debris,” the official added.
Since the flyover work began, the water supply pipeline has been subjected to eight bursts and supply disrupted for days each time.
The water supply pipeline has been buried completely despite the requests and now the department is wary that if the new pipeline is not laid soon, then the areas could suffer major crisis during the coming months as the pipelines are completely submerged in multiple layers of debris and mud.
The official stated that the PWD has requested the NHAI to take up the work of laying the new pipeline at the earliest. “Laying of the new pipeline is as per their mandate and they are responsible for the same. They have been sanctioned the required funds for the project as it is part of the larger road widening project that the NHAI has undertaken”, he added.
