Three government departments are working tirelessly to increase the water supply to the city of Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, facing severe water shortages. The efforts involve the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and Railways. Their goal is to complete the work by July 10th, reports The Hindu. As this same news source reported earlier in June, the scheme entails transporting 10 MLD (million litres per day) of water from Jolarpettai to Chennai ─ over 200 kilometres ─ in railway wagons for six months.
C. N. Mahesvaran, Managing Director of the TWAD, supervised the progress made and urged workers and officials to complete the work by the intended deadline. Work is ongoing at pumping units at the Mettusakkarakuppam, Parsampettai and Jolarpet filling points. According to Mr. Mahesvaran, officials and workers from Arakkonam to Tirupattur are working around the clock in three different shifts to meet the proposed deadline, and are confident they will achieve their objective.
The work involved laying pipes along 3.5 kilometres, done in three stretches simultaneously to save time. Further pipeline laying along some remaining portions was to be completed last. Officials from the TWAD Board reported having grouped the work into four tasks: preparing pumping mains, electrical works related to water pumping, laying pipelines, and loading water wagons.
The scheme is expected to provide some relief to Chennai, although the water deficit in the city is estimated to be in the hundreds of MLD.
