PWD deploys hi-tech equipment to restore sewer lines in Boulevard area

The Public Works Department has commenced work to assess the condition of old sewer lines in Boulevard area using robotic technology before taking up de-silting and rectification of the sewage pipelines without causing much inconvenience to the public.

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy inaugurated the work at Ambour Salai - Muthumariamman Koil junction in the presence of Minister for Public Works K. Lakshminarayanan on Thursday. The project taken up under Smart City programme is executed through the National Buildings Construction Corporation, a public sector undertaking. 

Using hi-tech machinery, the sewer lines in residential and commercial areas, falling under the Assembly segments of Raj Bhavan, Orleanpet and Uppalam, will be digitally scanned to identify blockages in the pipelines due to accumulation of silt. The advanced machinery, which includes robots and sonar systems would be sent into the sewer lines to beam visuals. The inbuilt mechanism in the machinery will be used to remove the silt and debris to facilitate free flow of sewage, Mr. Lakshminarayanan said.

“As part of the digital assessment process, wherever necessary, the damaged pipes will be replaced using micro tunnelling technique and horizontal drilling methods. There will not be any necessity to block traffic and take up heavy digging for replacing old sewer lines. In that way, there will be minimum inconvenience to road users,” he said. 

The existing infrastructure of sewer lines, he said, would be maintained in most of the places by providing bypass networks. The entire network of sewer lines would be assessed in eight months. Though the cost was estimated at around ₹50 crore, it was expected to come down if necessity to replace pipes was minimum, the Minister said. 

“The existing sewer lines in the Boulevard area has been in use for over 40 years. These old sewer lines had been laid in an area of around 45 km in the town. There are frequent bursts in the pipes due to blockages resulting from silt accumulation. The project will employ state-of-the-art technology and advanced machinery for rectifying the pipelines,” he said. 

The same technology, he said, could be utilised in other parts of Puducherry, including Muthialpet, to rectify defects in old sewer lines, after assessing the effectiveness of the current project. 

Published - November 14, 2024 08:21 pm IST