Areas already suffering from prolonged water crisis are less likely to get any respite even this summer as second phase of the water pipeline project in Ranchi is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. Several parts of Ranchi have been suffering from acute water crisis due to one or the other problems related to pipe line the missing link being the most prominent one.
Officials, however, claimed that the work of laying pipelines in some of the areas will soon be completed within few weeks during which water related requirements will be fulfilled thorough water tanks during this summer.
“The problem has been sorted out in most of the parts in Ranchi while the remaining areas will soon be connected with water supply by this November as the second phase of the water pipeline is going to be completed by the end of this year,” said Executive Engineer of PHED KK Verma. Madhukam-Khadgarha area of Ranchi has been the worst affected area in the city.
He, however, admitted that there were other several reasons behind irregular and no water supply in most of the areas of the city.
“Some of the colonies located on uplands may not be getting water supplies in their areas. Secondly, more and more houses are being added to each of the colonies day by day while the water pipeline has been laid only for a limited number of houses; more the number of houses exceeds the limit, the more will be the problem,” said Verma.
Extension of the pipelines, already having very low pressure of water in them, has also augmented the problem in the affected areas.
The ongoing construction of drains besides the roads has also adversely affected the project as the concerned contractor never repairs the pipeline damaged by them. They even do not care to make any complaint that they have damaged it during the dig, he added.
The matter was also raised during the Board Meeting or Ranchi Municipal Corporation by some of the ward councilors. “Pipeline in most of the colonies have been laid while the main pipeline which has to supply water to them are yet to be laid by the PHED due to which several parts of state capital still remains devoid of drinking water supply,” said ward councilor of Ward 30 Om Prakash.
Prakash further raised the issue of not giving water and electricity supply to the apartments which have not submitted occupancy certificates to RMC. “Where will the people living in such apartments will go whose builder has run away without completing the construction work,” he said.
According to Prakash, areas like Shivshakti Nagar, Anand Nagar, Irgu Toli, Bhawani Nagar, Kishoreganj Road number 9, 5, 9B, Shree Nagar, Shivraj lane etc. of Kishoreganj are also affected by the missing link.
Officials admitted that although water will be supplied through tankers in these areas, people will have to face hardship during peak summer.