Srinagar, Jan 5: Finally, there’s some good news about the mega drainage construction work undertaken in the Hyderpora suburb, by the Economic Reconstruction Agency(ERA), which due to delays had literally taken a considerable populace hostage for the past five odd years.
 But this winter, the locals have started reaping benefits. Hassan Road Construction Company (HRCC) which was allotted the work says over 75 % of the task has been completed in the areas along the south City highway, with dug up roads having being macadamized and even the dewatering being started because the pump station has started working on trial basis. ERA Project Manager GH Ganie has been constantly monitoring this project.
 For now the drainage work, as per the HRCC people is well in place for colonies like Al Noor, Shah Anwar, Green Park, Hyderpora Post Office Lane, portion of Airport Road and adjoining Post Office Lane.
 While the work along the left of the highway has almost been completed, the work towards the right in Gulberg Colony spanning over multiple sectors, is on.
 For Omar Yaqoob Mir, the young Director of HRCC, the work had come as a challenge that too when the project was first of its kind in the state.
 “Drainage work of such a big magnitude, where drains had to be laid as deep as seven meters was definitely challenging but we have succeeded in it,” Omar, a civil engineering by qualification told Greater Kashmir.
 The young entrepreneur, who has some 300 odd people including site engineers and other skilled working with him, said the remaining portion of the work would be completed by summer of this year adding that dewatering stations have already started functioning on trial basis.
 “The complex portion of the work, which included sub mains in the area lanes and bylanes is almost complete,” he said.
 Locals too hail the work completed. “No doubts we faced a worst of the situation in the past, but we have started to reap benefits,” said Suhail Wahid Malik, a resident of Shah Anwar Colony.
 Pertinently senior bureaucrat BB Vyas is believed to have played a vital role in giving a new life to the much criticized project. Over a year back when he was given the additional charge of CEO ERA, the ADB as per sources had decided to abandon the project given its slow pace.  But Vyas had reportedly got the project back on the track. And Hyderpora locals agree to it.
 “It was only after we apprized Vyas Sahib about the years of slow work and he personally made on-the-spot assessment that things picked up,” said a delegation of Hyderpora locals adding "now we no more need to wear long boots."

Lastupdate on : Thu, 5 Jan 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 5 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 6 Jan 2012 00:00:00 IST