THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Water authority is planning to implement micro-tunnelling to bring water from the proposed 120 MLD drinking water plant at Neyyar Dam to the capital city without destroying the road. Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) has been entrusted with the study in this regard. Funding agency KIIFB has asked RITES to submit a report within three months.

Microtunneling technology was thought of as digging the road to lay the pipe would lead to a huge financial loss. The speciality is that 90 percent of the work can be done through micro tunnelling, without destroying the road. Aruvikkara is the only source of drinking water to the city. It was decided in 2015 to set up a 120 MLD drinking water plant in Neyyar to solve a possible water shortage in future. However, even after eight years, the project was not moving forward but it has come back to life now. It has been decided to go into the tender process after the study.

Microtunneling

The method involves making tunnels underground with the help of sophisticated machines and laying pipes in them without destroying the road. 500 to 4000 mm diameter pipe can be installed. First, a pit is taken to land the boring machine for setting up the tunnel. Later tunnels will be made with the help of this machine. After that, the pipes are pulled into the tunnel by machine.

Water reservoir in 3.62 acres

The Neyyar Reservoir with the pumping station and treatment plant is proposed to be set up on 3.62 acres of land owned by the Irrigation Department near Safari Park in Neyyar Dam. The treated water at Neyyar will be stored in the overhead tank of the Japan Drinking Water Project at PTP Nagar by natural flow through pipes laid at a distance of 24 km without any further pumping. From there, 1400 mm diameter mild steel pipes will be laid to supply water to Maranalloor, Malayinkeezh, Vilappilsala and Vilavoorkal panchayats. If necessary, water will also be supplied to water-scarce areas in the city.