Pipeline project delayed

Delay in the laying of pipelines along the West Marredpally road has been a cause of inconvenience for both residents and commuters, for nearly two months now.
The project, which was started in the beginning of January has become a headache for businesses and schools on the entire road. About a kilometer-long stretch on the road starting from Agra sweets to Y-junction near HDFC, has not only been narrowed down, but dirt spread on the road, risking accidents. The road, one of the busiest in the city, connects AOC Circle to S P road and carries huge traffic volumes. It is hit really hard, especially during rush hour due to the ongoing GHMC project.
According to residents, the road that was laid around two years ago has been dugout to provide space for the pipelines. Even though lanes connecting colonies such as Nehru Nagar Park could have been restored within a few days, this work has not been completed till yet , to the chagrin of commuters. " Small children from the nearby school have to face the daily challenge of crossing the tunnel," points out Kumar, a senior citizen.
Even the bus stop at State Bank has been dug up. Several commercial establishments on the east side of the road are also facing parking problems as all the space has been eaten up by the portion of road under the project. "I used to park my vehicle near the bank, but now I have to search for space on the other side of the road," lamented Mahesh Yadav, a customer.
The residents have been complaining to authorities, but to no avail. The officials conjure up hundreds of excuses while the Public Works lags behind schedule. According to reports, the project should have been completed by January end, but it has been prolonged due to technical difficulties.
"The laying of pipelines has been completed, but the debris has not been completely removed. We have warned the Contractor for delay and will be sending the second notice to him, within a few days. Even the traffic police have been informed about the situation, and they can penalize the Contractor for the public inconvenience," said Bala Mani, Executive Engineer, GHMC.  

--Md Nizamuddin