SMC’s project report in final stage

A viability report of the Surat-Kakrapar water pipeline project, one of Surat Municipal Corporation's (SMC) much awaited schemes, is in its final stages and is expected to be submitted next week.

To get a clearer picture, the SMC has asked consultant to take satellite images, while drafting the report. To find a solution for city's water requirements in future, SMC came up with a plan to create a separate water pipeline from Kakrapar to Surat.

The city will require more than 1,100 MLD water in next 25 years, while at present riparian right to draw water from Tapi River is 680 MLD. To solve this issue, a direct pipeline was planned by civic hydraulic department in 2008. The contract to find out possibilities of pipeline was given to Delhi-based consultant Wapcos.

According to sources in the SMC, Wapcos is on the final stages of the project work and the final report is expected to be tabled before SMC officials next week.

"The report is on final stages and it will be presented before Municipal commissioner S Aparna, mayor Ranjit Gilitwala and other civic authorities. As this is very significant project for SMC, we are verifying every possibility. The cost of project is not decided yet," said a top official with the SMC.

He added that there are more than one routes for laying pipelines, and the consultant has been asked to produce satellite images along with the report. Satellite images will help in identifying the most favorable and shortest route to lay the pipeline. Apart from creating another source for water availability, another factor which encouraged SMC officials to go ahead with the project is supply of clean water.

The civic body has to spend more on purification process. "If the pipeline is directly connected to weir-cum-causeway or is even joined in the route to causeway, it can improve the quality of raw water. There will be lesser weeds and lesser sand and other foreign particles in the water," said JK Shah, hydraulic engineer of SMC.