70% UGD coverage in twin cities likely by Nov

With the underground drainage (UGD) network development project being implemented in the twin cities under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) expected to be commissioned in the month of November, the coverage of the UGD network in the twin cities would be little more than 70%.

Out of Rs 156 crore estimated cost of this project, Rs 116.22 crore has already been spent, while the works of laying 202 km new pipelines, constructing five sewage treatment plants (STPs) and six wet-wells, and giving house connections to the UGD are at different stages. The project is being executed by the Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board (KUWSDB), and the contractor has to maintain it for five years.

On Monday, MLA Jagadish Shettar inspected the progress of the project. He visited the wet-wells at Railway Colony on Gadag Road and Gopanakoppa, and the sewage treatment plant (STP) site near Bhairidevarakoppa. Implementation of this project should be completed in October, and the officials have noted that it would be commissioned in November, Shettar said.

KUWSDB Chief Engineer Raju D L noted that the twin cities have an UGD network of 250 km at present, and AMRUT scheme being implemented at present would add 202 km more. With this, 70% of the twin cities would be covered under the UGD.

To cover the remaining 180 km which lack UGD network, and to give UGD connection to all households including those in extension areas, a Rs 350 crore proposal has been submitted to the State Government, he said.

Shettar assured to get this proposal approved, so that areas near the airport and Gokul also get UGD connections, and also assured to make efforts to get funds from the Union Government too for this.

The project

As part of this Rs 156 crore project, 202 km UGD line has to be laid, and 7,900 chambers have to be constructed, out of which 177.50 km UGD line has already been already laid, and 6,103 chambers have been constructed.

A 10 MLD STP at UAS in Dharwad, 3 MLD STP at Kelgeri in Dharwad, 3 MLD STP at Bhairidevarakoppa (Unkal), 1 LMD STP at Tolanakere, and 0.25 MLD STP at Ramnagar near Tarihal in Hubballi are being constructed, the KUWSDB officials said.

Wet-wells with pumping machinery are being constructed at UAS, Kelgeri Vijayanand Nagar, and Navalur in Dharwad, and at Morarji Nagar, Manoj Park, and Naveen Park in Hubballi. More than 3,000 houses would get UGD connection under this project which has a cost sharing model of 50:20:30 between the Union Government, State Government, and HDMP, they noted.

Under an additional grant of Rs 17.24 crore, 15,500 additional households would get UGD connection, they added.

Old lines not maintained

Shettar admitted that the 40 MLD STP at Gabbur is getting less sewage water, as UGD pipelines laid under Rs 130 crore project, executed by the KUIDFC a few years back, are not maintained properly by the HDMP.

I would hold a meeting with the HDMP officials to ensure that the UGD lines laid earlier are maintained properly, damaged ones are repaired, and en-route houses get UGD connections, he added.