JNNURM schemes: PCMC may miss March 2012 deadline

The worst-hit has been the Rs 398-crore water supply project that entailed laying closed drinking water pipeline from Pavana dam — which is over 35 km from Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Farmers in Pavana dam region have strongly opposed the land acquisition bid demanding better compensation. Of the 35 km project,PCMC has been able to complete the work in only four-km stretch. The pipeline project,which started in May 2008,had a two-year deadline which is already over.

Officials said the work on the project remained stuck for six months. Every time when the work is started,protesting farmers bring it to a halt after a few days. As a result,the PCMC has been able to complete only 10-12 per cent work so far.

“The work will restart soon,but won’t reveal when…,” said executive engineer Ramdas Tambe on Monday. “The closed pipeline project is very important for the PCMC as the town currently lifts water from Pavana river which travels 35 km carrying grime and garbage with it,” says civic activist Kailas Jadhav.

The Rs 450-crore BRTS work too has been affected. On the Aundh-Ravet and Pune-Mumbai routes,the Army has blocked the work for non-payment of promised amount for over a year now.

Officials said the cost of the Aundh-Ravet project has shot up by nearly Rs 100 crore. PCMC office-bearers are planning write to the defence minister in a bid to resolve the tangle.

“The other two road works between Nashik Phata and Wakad,and Dehu Road and Kalewadi have started,” said PCMC JNNRUM officer Neelkanth Poman.

Under the Rs 715-crore slum rehabilitation project entailing construction of over 18,000 flats,the PCMC has so far distributed only 5,500 flats. The construction of over 11,000 flats in Sector 22 (Nigdi) has been caught in a controversy with Shiv Sena corporator Seema Savle approaching the Bombay High Court.

“The project comes within the restricted zone of Ordnance depot and there has been illegality in tender process besides other issues forcing us to move the high court,” said Savle. Similarly,the Rs 490-crore 13,250 flat scheme for economically weaker sections (EWS) too has hit the roadblock with PCMC unable to get land for 6,000 flats.

Municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma,however,said he is confident that most of the projects would be completed by March 31,2012. “Only two projects,water pipeline and slum rehabilitation,would go beyond March 31. We have almost completed the Rs 236-crore sewage project and solid waste management projects,” he said.

Talking about the EWS project,Sharma said of the 1,3250 flats,6,700 would be ready by March and while the rest is dependent on the land transfer to PCMC from the state government. “We are racing against time to complete the projects. We have received the government share and have also made allocations for all the projects,” he said.

Poman said the PCMC is constructing seven sewage treatment plants under JNNURM. “Only three STPs works are on and are expected to be completed by March 2012.”