MCC plans to begin Jalasiri 24x7 water supply in Surathkal zone

Mangaluru: With work on the Jalasiri 24x7 drinking water supply project nearing completion in Surathkal zone, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has begun the process of handing over operation and maintenance (O&M) to the agency for the next eight years.The ADB-funded Rs 792-crore project, which includes Rs 204.7 crore for O&M, is being executed by the KUIDFC through Suez India Pvt Ltd. Naresh P Shenoy, deputy commissioner (development), MCC, told TOI that the contractor is in the final leg of work in the Surathkal zone."The process to hand over the O&M of the drinking water supply in Surathkal zone as per the agreement has begun. In some areas, work related to source connections is pending. Those are minor works that the contractor can complete soon. Once they finish the work, the contractor will be able to commence a trial run and check faults. By the end of this month or in the 1st week of March, the O&M of water supply in Surathkal zone will be handed over to the company," he said.The Jalasiri project for Mangaluru under the Karnataka Integrated Water Management Investment Programme (KIWMIP) began in 2019. It was initially scheduled for completion in 2023, but Covid-19 and technical reasons delayed progress. The contractor then received several deadline extensions, triggering heated discussions during MCC council meetings.Former corporator AC Vinayaraj said the agency cannot ensure 24x7 supply in Surathkal without an adequate water source. He said the MCC is clearing all bills on time and should hand over O&M only after confirming complete work in the zone.