Water pipeline work nearing completion.

The work on laying a water pipeline from the Perumanoor pump house to Karuvelipady in West Kochi will be completed by March 20.

The work was undertaken by the district administration on January 27 on a war-footing as per the disaster management rules in anticipation of drought. The work- replacement of old primo pipes with new pipelines-would benefit 1.5 lakh families in West Kochi, said District Collector Mohammed Y. Safirulla.

Efforts to replace the pipeline laid in 1914 began in 2005 and administrative sanction was given in 2014. The delay in obtaining sanction from the PWD and the Kochi Corporation to dig roads affected the work.

Such issues were sorted out at a multi-department meeting convened in December by the Collector and the KWA Managing Director. Already, 1,500 metres of pipelines have been laid in the 1,900- metre stretch, overcoming problems posed by the existing pipeline and drains.

THE HINDU