The Piravom drinking water supply scheme that has been hanging fire following opposition from local residents and civic bodies is likely to be revamped after slightly realigning the actual route, it was decided in a high-level meeting held recently in Thiruvanathapuram.
The proposal hit a wall after Piravom panchayat authorities and locals began a protest against digging up of roads to lay the pipeline network.
“As per the new alignment, pipelines will be laid only till Arakkunnam through the main road — (a length of) up to 4.5 kilometres.
From there, it will be deviated through the panchayat road,” District Collector P.I. Sheik Pareeth said. “The local bodies opposed digging of the main road from Piravom to Ernakulam — a length of 9 kilometres.”
The Rs 201-crore project, funded by the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, is aimed at ncreasing water supply to the parched areas of West Kochi. As part of the project, water from Muvattupuzha river will be brought to the treatment plant at Maradu.
According to the original proposal, a pipeline is to be laid from Pazhoor to Aarakunnam, and further on to Mulanthuruthy, Kandanad, Tripunithura and Valanthakaad to reach Maradu.