The ₹227-crore comprehensive drinking water project in Koyilandy municipality is reportedly progressing slowly, with the laying of distribution pipelines and the provision of household connections remaining incomplete two years after work began.Around 364 km of water distribution pipelines are being laid across the civic body. Using the initially sanctioned ₹85 crore, three major water storage tanks have been constructed at Naderi Valiyamala (17 lakh litres), Kottakunnu (17 litres) and Koyilandy Mini Civil Station (23 lakh litres). Although most of the pipelines required to carry water to these tanks have been laid, delays in providing household connections and restoring dug-up roads have drawn criticism from residents and people’s representatives.In the second phase, an additional ₹120 crore was sanctioned for establishing the distribution network to supply water to households. Besides this, ₹22 crore was sanctioned under the Union government’s AMRUT scheme, which is being used to provide household water connections.The municipality is required to repay 12% of the amount sanctioned under the AMRUT scheme, which comes to around ₹3 crore. There are around 5,000 households in the Above Poverty Line (APL) category that require water connections. The municipality plans to collect ₹2,000 from each of them, which is expected to generate around ₹1 crore. The remaining amount will have to be met from the municipality’s own funds.Water connections are provided free of cost to Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. BPL families will be entitled to use up to 15,000 litres of water per month. APL households will have to pay a monthly metre charge of ₹74 and will be entitled to use up to 5,000 litres of water.“Even after two years, the authorities have failed to ensure drinking water supply to households, causing considerable hardship to residents,” said V.P. Ibrahimkutty, a member of the Taluk Development Committee.Mr. Ibrahimkutty said that the failure to restore damaged roads, delays in providing household connections in many areas, and the inability to ensure a timely water supply had disappointed the public. “The municipality’s comprehensive drinking water project should be completed at the earliest, and urgent steps should be taken to restore the damaged roads,” he added.Meanwhile, officials of the Kerala Water Authority said more than 80% of the project had been completed. “The project is being implemented in three zones. In zone II, a majority of households have been given connections, and the water supply has commenced. We hope to complete the entire project by the end of this year,” said an official. Published - June 06, 2026 07:16 pm IST