KADAPA: The decades-long wait of Rayachoti people for a proper sewerage system is set to end soon. The state government has sanctioned Rs 340 crore for development works, thanks to the initiatives of chief whip Gadikota Srikanth Reddy, who represents Rayachoti in the Legislative Assembly.
Around Rs 236 crore has been earmarked for underground drainage works, which are progressing at a brisk pace. Underground drainage canals are coming up from Chittoor road to Mittavandlapalle in Tirupati Naidu Colony. The municipal health engineering department is overseeing these works. The contractors are executing the works as per the detailed project report (DPR) filed by officials from the engineering department.
Engineering officials point out that they had prepared a plan that caters to the population of Rayachoti in the next 20 years. The underground drainage system will be extended to 205 km within the urban area. The work is expected to take three years to complete.
Officials said that sewage treatment plants (STPs) are being set up at Masapeta, Tirupatinayudu Colony, Abbavaram and Rayudu colony. They will treat effluents from the underground drainage.
Meanwhile, another water scheme is coming up from Veligallu Reservoir for which the government has allocated Rs 98 crore. Veligallu Reservoir is already providing drinking water through a water scheme. It was decided to extend the pipelines by 150 km and provide drinking water to residents in the suburbs. The DPR entails water taps in every household.
Municipal assistant engineer Duggireddy Ramireddy Venkatakrishna Reddy told Deccan Chronicle that in addition to underground drainage, drinking water schemes and parks would be developed in the town at a total cost of '340 crore. He said that due to heavy rains that lashed the area for two days, rainwater had stopped flowing into canals where a pipeline has to be installed. He explained that things would gather momentum in the next two days.
He explained that the chief whip was personally monitoring the progress and issuing orders as and when required.
