HC expresses displeasure over delay in laying of water pipelines

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad:

The Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court, once again, expressed its displeasure, over ongoing waterworks under the new water supply scheme at a snail’s pace. The court noticed that only 14.74 per cent of the main pipeline has been laid till today between Jayakwadi and Aurangabad.

The bench has instructed the contractor company to first complete the works and then obtain the total cost or else stop the work.

It may be noted that the monitoring committee appointed by the High Court to keep a vigil on the new water supply scheme works submitted its report to the High Court today (Wednesday). It stated that out of the 1,911 km long pipeline in the city, only 25 km has been laid (12.97 per cent), so far. Besides, the main pipeline of length 5.75 km (14.74 pc) only has been laid out of 39 km long from Jayakwadi to Aurangabad. The work of the contractor is unsatisfactory stated the report submitted before the bench comprising Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Sanjay Deshmukh. The next hearing will be held on March 9.

When the hearing was held today (Wednesday), the contractor company claimed that out of the outstanding, it is yet to get Rs 156 crore. Hence the High Court hoped to speed up the works so as to complete the water project in time (by the deadline).

Meanwhile, the chief public prosecutor informed the bench that the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) will be releasing Rs 47 crore to the contractor in three days and the remaining Rs 109 crore by March 6.

On inquiry about the status of the new elevated storage reservoirs (ESRs), the contractor said that the seven ESRs will be ready by March 31 and three ESR by April end.