Hyderabad faces big loss from leaking water pipelines

Hyderabad: One of the major causes of the water problem in the IT corridor is leakage of pipelines. Such leakages are occurring mostly due to works taken up by various departments for road widening, digging of roads for cable laying, etc. Funds allocated for repair works mostly go down the drain.

Officials consider minor repair works to stop leakages as ‘nominated works’ and provide works to contractors of their choice who are paid Rs 20,000 per repair. More than 800 such repair works in the last six months were taken at an estimated cost of Rs 2 to 5 lakh in each division per month.

Still the problem persists. Under Chanda-nagar division itself, officials spent Rs 5.69 lakh for 33 cases of repairs in August 2015, Rs 6.59 lakh in September (for 37 cases), Rs 7.53 lakh in October (41 cases), Rs 7.4 lakh in November (41 cases) and Rs 8.8 lakh in December (49 cases).

A similar problem is being faced at Madhuranagar near Khajaguda junction and Nagadevatha temple at Wipro junction. The pipeline from Nanakram-guda to Wipro junction is constantly leaking.

R Naveen Kumar, a software profession from Raidurgam, said, “We face the problem of water flowing on the roads, but there is no flow in our taps.” Water works deputy general manager Rajashekar said, “Repair work is being taken up the moment we get information. Most of the repairs are already done.”