AMRUT works trouble residents

Tirupati: Due to lack of proper supervision, the sub-contractors of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) are not maintaining quality in restoration of the roads damaged while laying pipelines for water supply under the scheme.

In many places while laying cement road to restore the damaged roads, workers broke the newly laid blue colour plastic water tap pipelines in front of the houses creating problem to house owners. Even, Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) authorities also did not take responsibility to repair the broken water tap pipelines.

These two major problems marring the much beneficial AMRUT scheme being implemented to augment water supply in the pilgrim city. Under the scheme, the MCT took up the job of laying pipelines either to cover uncovered areas and enhance water supply quantity to cope with the demand.

However, the works are hindering smooth movement of public and vehicles and also in some areas damaging exiting pipelines or water tap connections. It may be noted that the MCT is laying new water pipelines under AMRUT scheme with an outlay of Rs 72 crore.

Under this scheme, the MCT is constructing five reservoirs for water storage including MR Palli, Jeevakona and Thimminaidu Palem panchayats that were merged with Corporation and also fast growing Bairagi Patteda

locality. Laying of new pipelines replacing the old ones to enhance the quantum of water supply to meet the demand also taken up as part of streamlining the total water supply network in the city.

Already, the MCT contractors have laid half inch plastic water pipelines uniformly to all the house owners in many areas like LS Nagar, Bairagi Patteda, Srikirshna Nagar, Rajiv Gandhi Colony, Thimminaidu Palem, MR Palli, and Gayathri Nagar.

After completion of the pipeline works at the time of restoration of cement roads, workers had damaged pipelines at LS Nagar and few more areas. The sub-contractor engaged in restoration of roads that were dug up for laying pipelines, silently withdrew workers and ignored the repairs of damaged new water pipelines despite repeated pleas from affected residents.

Contractors are also allegedly not maintaining the quality in restoration works and not curing them with water properly. Also, till many roads were not restored by the contractors, leaving those residing in the area into lurch. Under the AMRUT scheme, it is the contractor’s responsibility to repair the damaged tap connections and water supply pipes, but they declined to repair works.

Finally, house owners have no go but to repair their water pipelines on their own cost. “When we asked MCT staff regarding the damaged water supply pipes, they remain evasive, while the contractors too not responding,” lamented Rukumangada Raju, a resident of LS Nagar.

MCT Engineer-1 Chandrashekar speaking to The Hans India told that already we have set the standards in the works. “Our field staff surely check the quality in the works before making the payment and suitable action will be taken based on inspection report,” he said.