New areas have to wait longer for Cauvery water

New areas have to wait longer for Cauvery water

Tenders for ground level reservoirs delayed further

Senthalir S. Bangalore



"We are waiting for Cauvery water . The earlier it reaches us, the faster our problems would end," said Janaki Ramamurthy, a resident of Dooravaninagar near KR Puram.
The problems she was referring to were the non-functional borewells due to which she has to fully depend on tanker water paying through her nose.
But residents like her living in the newly added areas of the BBMP will have to wait longer.
Although the work on Cauvery Water IV phase (II stage) is progressing, the construction of ground level reservoirs (GLRs) to store the water will be delayed as contractors are quoting a larger amount. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) plans to build 10 GLRs in the former CMC areas.
The Cauvery Water IV phase (II stage) is expected to provide 500mld of water by 2012 to people in the newly added Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) who are facing severe water shortage.
The tendering process for the ground level reservoirs that began in October last is yet to be finalised as contractors are reluctant to take up work.
"So far, we have called the tenders thrice — first in September/October, 2008, then in November, and finally in March, 2009. But there were not many participants to take up the work," a BWSSB official said. He said the good contractors quoted a larger amount.
"We want to award the work at Rs10 crore to build a GLR but they are asking for Rs50 crore. Our plan is to give all the 10 GLRs to one contractor and that would come to Rs100 crore. But they are reluctant to take it up as they find it hard to work in 10 locations. We will call for re-tendering after the election code of conduct is relaxed," the official said. This means the tendering work is delayed.
"Once the model code of conduct is relaxed in May, we can call tenders for the works. This will not affect the GLR work as there is a lot of time. The reservoirs have to be completed only by 2012. Tender for one GLR has been called and it will be finalised soon," said AN Prahlad Rao, a BWSSB spokesman.
"These are big projects and they require time. But they will be completed by 2012," he said.