KIIFB for ‘micro-tunnelling’ to lay pipes carrying water

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has proposed to employ ‘micro-tunnelling technique’ to build the transmission line to carry water from the proposed Neyyar water supply project to the city.
The proposed 120 million litres per day (MLD) plant at Neyyar will be able to solve the drinking water shortage faced by the city dwellers. Once the plant becomes a reality, pipes have to be laid at a 23.8 kilometre distance to carry water from Neyyar to PTP Nagar.
The proposed transmission line passes through busy roads and roads may need to be dug for laying 1,400mm pipes to bring water to the city. However, the KIIFB was not ready for digging roads and this delayed the project for years. Now, it has found a solution for the issue through the new technology.
The KIIFB has now directed the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to send a proposal for implementing the project using micro-tunnelling technology. However, the KWA has not yet reacted positively to the proposed micro-tunnelling technique, but alleged that the KIIFB has no funds in hand to implement this project.
According to the officials at KIIFB, micro-tunnelling is an efficient trenchless technique useful for laying pipelines beneath highways, railroads and other sensitive areas as it causes only minimum disruption to traffic and allied businesses as well. Using this technique, pipes from 500 mm to 4,000 mm diameters can be laid.
“Cutting roads for laying pipes at a distance of over 20 kilometres is a waste of money when we have technologies available to avoid it. Once KWA sends a new proposal, the work could be started without further delay. Of the 23.8 kilometre stretch, over 90% of it can be done without cutting the road,” said Abhilash Vijayan, project manager, KIIFB. He also said that there is no shortage of funds for implementing the project as alleged by KWA.
As per the micro-tunnelling technology, a pit of approximate size will be made to place the machine inside and an operator can control it remotely. Due to the small size of the bore and the installation process the control panel and the operator will remain on the surface during the procedure.
However, executive engineer (project division) of KWA, Ajish Kumar KG, alleged that KIIFB lacks enough funds for implementing the project and using the new proposal they are thinking of arranging funds from an international agency. “Even for the micro-tunnelling technique, roads have to be cut. All these are a tactic of KIIFB to delay the project,” said Ajish Kumar.