Staff Reporter
Mapusa
After a prolonged delay, the over Rs 150 crore Mapusa sewerage project, which began in 2013, is finally set to begin, with the government planning to commission the sewage treatment system from January onwards in a phased manner.
The first phase will focus on the Gaunsawaddo area, with plans to extend the system to other parts of Mapusa thereafter.
The Public Works Department (PWD), after decommissioning sewage lines at Acoi and Kamarkhazan, is now ready to begin operations on the project, which has been in development for over a decade. Project director Nitin Nevrekar, overseeing the JICA-funded initiative under the Public Works department, said that work would start in Gaunsawaddo, a market area, once the cleaning of debris from the monsoon rains is completed.
“We are ready to commission the sewerage lines for Gaunsawaddo and market areas in January,” said Nevrekar. “Other areas of Mapusa will be addressed in subsequent phases, and we aim to complete the project by the end of January.”
Nevrekar said that all domestic connections are in place, and the sewage treatment plant (STP) is operational. Regarding concerns about leakages in chambers, particularly near the police station, he said that these would be sealed from the inside to prevent further issues. The sealing of lines has already helped reduce water levels in the pipes.
The Mapusa sewerage project includes the installation of 38 kilometres of sewerage pipelines across the town. While the project covers the town area, the outskirts have not been included. It has faced multiple setbacks, including leakage issues, failed trial runs, and other technical
challenges.
