For the first time, the city is likely to have development work through use of huge Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs).
The equipment will be used for executing the project titled “Laying of sewerage and drainage pipelines and capacity enhancement of the existing drainage system at Central and North Lahore.”
Though the study of the project worth about Rs8 billion had been conducted by Nespak about 10 years back, the Strategic Policy Unit (SPU) -- a think tank of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) -- started reviewing it in order to suggest better options in this regard.
“In the Nespak’s study, the experts suggested to lay a pipeline of 60-inch diameter from Larex Colony to Bund Road via Garhi Shahu, Lakshmi Chowk, Chauburji, Samanabad, Gulshan-i-Ravi in order to drain out the rain/waste water in the Ravi. The route of the pipeline was 17-km and under this, the Water and Sanitation Agency was also to establish a pumping station at Gulshan-i-Ravi in addition to the existing one,” said a senior LDA official.
He said similarly another pipeline of 96-inch diameter was also suggested to be laid from Gulberg to Charar drain via Kalma Chowk and Ferozpur Road in order to drain out the water first in Charar and then Hadiara for its onward final disposal to the Ravi. But the experts had suggested to lay both the pipelines through open cuts — a method that involved massive digging up to 20 to 30 feet and then lay the pipes. Since the idea of launching the project through open cut methods involved fear of a massive damage to all sorts of the existing infrastructure, the LDA’s top command directed the SPU to review and suggest some other measures.
“So the officials in SPU started work on it by involving various Wasa experts. And through exploring other methods as being adopted in China, Turkey, Korea, India and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), it was decided to buy at least two TBMs worth about Rs600 million to avoid damage to the existing infrastructure,” the official added.
He said the TBMs used to perform well by doing two works simultaneously. “The machine makes boring besides injecting and fixing pipeline at a time without damaging the existing infrastructure. And there will be no problem to the people moving on roads, streets and thoroughfares.”
He said a PC-1 had been submitted jointly by the LDA and Wasa under which three options were presented to the planning and development department.
“As per the option-1, the government has been asked to accord approval to laying out the pipelines through open/cut/local method as suggested by the Nespak. In this case, work will be completed in 50 months.
“Under option-II, the LDA/Wasa experts have suggested to lay out the pipelines by using two TBMs. It will take about 30 months. According to the last option, we have suggested to complete the project in 15 months by involving four TBMs,” the official explained.
He said since the department had principally agreed with the SPU last week, it might accord approval to the PC-1 under option-II. The official claimed the LDA and Wasa would immediately launch the project soon after receiving approval from the department. This project would not only help the government avoid accumulation of water during rainy season but also carry out timely drainage of the domestic sewerage, he claimed.
The officials of the city district government and town municipal administration are experiencing a hectic work schedule with the onset of Muharram. Many of them return to their homes at night despite reporting to their respective offices early in the morning.
They are even spending their holidays (Sundays) at their offices without any sort of TA/DA and overtime.
“I couldn’t sleep well for the last many days. I and my staff are arriving office at about 8am daily and going back homes at 9pm,” an official told Dawn.
He said besides Muharram, they were also regularly performing additional duties related to dengue and polio etc.
He urged the senior officials to recruit temporary staff for such occasions rather than making the existing staff over-burdened. He also sought payment of TA/DA along with overtime under labour laws.–
Published in Dawn, November 4th , 2014
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