Contractor puts paid to Hydernagar flyover plan

Work on a tunnel through which water pipelines will run at the JNTU junction in Kukatpally has been delayed because a layer of hard rock has been struck, which is making digging difficult.

The work is part of the Water Board’s `290-crore reservoir construction project.

The Water Board has been constructing reservoirs and connecting pipelines across the city; at a few places it has begun commissioning the reservoirs and water supply to new colonies.

The work has been taken up on a priority basis, without disturbing general traffic on the busy road.

A similar tunnel was completed without cutting the roads at Nallagandla, under the road, and near Hyderguda on the Mumbai highway, and pipes of 1,000 mm diameter were laid at a depth of four metres.

The proposed tunnel pipeline at the JNTU junction will be 60 metres long. Work on the tunnel began a month back and the deadline for completion is June.

So far the Water Board has dug five metres of the 60-metre long tunnel. Water from the Hydernagar reservoir will be supplied to KPHB Colony and its surrounding localities through this pipeline. The tunnel begins from the JNTU bus stand and ends at the KPHB service road.

Chief general manager projects, M. Yella Swamy said that while tunnels are usually laid at a depth of four metres, at JNTU the depth is five metres due to existing pipelines.

“The junction has a 450-mm diameter rain water drain and telecom and other cables which are an impediment for the tunnel work. There is also the delay due to the hard rock. But, we shall complete it by the deadline,” he said. The five-year-old proposal to build three flyovers from Hydernagar to Bharatnagar has been put off due to many reasons.

Flyovers had been proposed at JNTU Junction, Godrej Junction and at Hydernagar when Mr N, Kiran Kumar Reddy was Chief Minister. They were intended to relieve the traffic jams on the Mumbai Highway.

The then government prepared proposals and finalised tenders in 2012 and the foundation stone laying ceremony was performed. Hyderabad Metro Rail had agreed to the flyovers as they did not disturb the proposed line. Technical reasons caused the project to be put off, but after a request by the National Highway Authority of India, the present government reconsidered the proposals and prepared an estimate of `60 crore.

The tender was finalised but there was a delay in the depositing of funds by the contractor. Since then, there has been no progress.

An official from the national highways authority said that they are still keen on the flyover at the JNTU junction. “If the GHMC agrees, we will begin the work,” he said.