Haveri’s 24x7 drinking water project hobbled by delays

Haveri: Even after 10 years, 13 missed deadlines and a cost overrun of at least Rs 5 crore, contractors and the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) have failed to implement the 24x7 water supply project in Haveri city.
The total project cost, initially pegged at Rs 33 crore, was revised to Rs 38 crore. Out of which, Rs 30 crore has already been spent.Despite that, even 10 years since the start of the project, Haveri residents are yet to reap the benefits of this project, with taps running dry even during the monsoon.
Haveri city has a population of more than 74,000 and requires 9 lakh litres of water daily. This requirement can be met from Tungabhadra River’s Kancharagatti jackwell. Another 10 lakh litres of water can be stored in the water storage units. Apart from this, 370 borewells are functional in the city.
Yet, even with all the infrastructure in place, residents still do not have access to enough water even once a week primarily due to lack of water management, poor planning and distribution. The delayed water supply project bears testimony to this.
According to sources, a Haryana-based company was awarded the tender to implement a 24X7 water project in Haveri City in 2014, and work commenced in 2017. However, the company failed to meet the deadline even after 13 extensions, stretching until April 30, 2023.
While the company has now sought legal recourse to skip the ‘Liquidity Damage’ clause, the state govt has already paid Rs 32 crore to the contracting firm.
When contacted, K Jagadish from KUIDFC said the contracting firm has laid a 195-km distribution pipeline across the city against a total commitment of 206 km, and connected 13,385 houses out of the targeted 16,385 in Haveri city.
“Now, with the company approaching the court to avoid the Liquidity Damage clause, work has come to a grinding halt,” Jagadish clarified.
Haveri district in-charge minister Shivanand Patil has now sought a detailed report on the matter within 15 days.
Terming the delay in execution as “intolerable”, he said: “I have ordered the authorities to conduct a detailed investigation and submit a report within 15 days. The project should resume by December.”