KWA begins land acquisition survey to bring water to city

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has begun conducting a survey to identify the land required for an eight-kilometre road project from Kattakada to PTP Nagar via Malayinkeezhu, Peyad, and Kundamankadavu. This eight-meter-wide road will be built with pipelines underneath to supply Neyyar water to the city and alleviate its water shortage.
Once the survey is complete, a detailed report will be submitted to the district collector to initiate the process of acquiring the necessary land for the project.
The report will include details such as the total land area to be acquired, survey numbers, and other relevant information.
This road is expected to reduce congestion by avoiding busy junctions. The project, funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), will be implemented by the Kerala Road Fund Board.
Originally, there was a plan to use micro-tunnelling to lay pipes beneath the existing road, but due to high costs, KIIFB and KWA opted for the construction of a new road parallel to it. KIIFB had earlier rejected the request to cut the existing road from Kattakada to PTP Nagar to lay pipes.
"The existing road is just six to eight metres wide in most parts and it is not possible to lay huge pipes of 900 mm diameter. Citing it, KIIFB rejected the request to cut the road and later the micro-tunnelling technique was also given up. The project to build the new road will help ease traffic and bring water to the city to cap the water shortage," said a KWA official.
The city is experiencing a water shortage due to increasing demand, and the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) is exploring various ways to source more water. The distance from Neyyar to PTP Nagar is 23.8 kilometers, and for the remaining 15.8 kilometers from Neyyar to Kattakada, KWA plans to lay a pipeline alongside the existing Neyyar-Choondupalaka road.
Once the transmission line is complete, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) will be able to supply 120 million liters of water (MLD) per day to the city, with 100 MLD allocated for city needs and 20 MLD for four neighboring panchayats. Additionally, KWA plans to install a 120 MLD plant at Neyyar, which will proceed only after the transmission line is operational. "We aim to begin the land acquisition process before the start of next year. Once that is finalized, we can invite tenders and expect to complete the project within 18 months," stated the KWA official.
At the same time, the pipe-laying work along the 15.8-kilometer stretch can be completed. The proposed plant is expected to be commissioned within six months, allowing Neyyar water to reach the city directly by 2027," the official added. .