PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation plans to complete the laying of the water pipeline up to Cantonment water works by May.
Municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao recently told the water supply and the pumping departments to expedite the work to ensure its completion before the monsoon.

The 6.4km long, 2,200mm diameter cast iron pipeline from Parvati waterworks up to Cantonment waterworks is expected to reduce water loss in transportation, leakages, evaporation and halt drawing of water from the Mutha canal.

Work is pending on a 900m stretch. Most of this is in the Cantonment area and in some patches along the irrigation canal. The pipeline will run along the canal and go via Dhobi Ghat to the Cantonment waterworks on Solapur Road.

Civic officials said work had slowed down because of various hurdles. Water released for irrigation held up work along the canal.

“The pipeline is aligned along the canal. We will need little water in it to initiate the work. The irrigation department has released water into the canal for summer crops. The rotation is likely to stop in the next 10 days. We will complete the work before the next rotation begins,” an official said.

The department faces another challenge in laying pipes at some crucial road crossings at chowks.

One such crossing is near the Pune Cantonment board office. Work scheduled last month was postponed because of the traffic chaos it would cause and affect students on the roads going to write their annual schools and college examinations.

The civic administration will approach the traffic police department seeking a nod to take up work at Pune Cantonment office chowk and near Parvati junction.

A senior official said Rao had recently conducted a meeting to review the work. He has instructed the officials to take necessary steps to complete the work at the earliest and ensure that there are no delays.

Rao said emphasis will be on restricting water transportation losses and clearing hurdles in the pipeline work.

Work was executed smoothly on Shankarsheth Road because of its width, but the stretch after Golibar Maidan has been difficult to execute for the PMC.

The civic body wanted the stretch completely closed for the smooth completion of the work, but the traffic police, citing immense pressure on the adjoining roads, refused to allow it.

Last June, the PMC, Pune Cantonment Board, and the traffic police had worked out an alternative traffic plan towards Swargate through Napier Road and Cross Road, but it was shelved.