Water crisis in Bengaluru might not affect three first-leg IPL matches: KSCA
Bengaluru (PTI): The acute water shortage in the city might not pose any immediate threat to the three IPL first-leg matches to be played here, as KSCA, the host association, is confident of meeting the demand for water from the in-house sewage treatment plant.
Bengaluru is reeling under a severe water crisis, the worst in the last four decades, and there have been calls from several quarters to shift the IPL games, beginning here on March 25, out of the city.
"We are facing no crisis – at the moment that is. We have received the state government pertaining to water usage and we are in constant meetings about following the guidelines," Shubendu Ghosh, the CEO of Karnataka State Cricket Association, told PTI.
The Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board had issued a notice, barring the usage of potable water for any other purpose such as gardening or washing vehicles.
Ghosh exuded confidence that water from the sewage treatment plant inside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium will suffice for purposes like watering the outfield and pitch.
"We are already using water from the STP plant for watering outfield and pitch and other in-stadium purposes. We may require 10000-15000 litres of water for match purposes, and we are certain that it can be generated from the STP plant.
"We don't need to use groundwater . Yes, we are having a closer look at the government's new policy on water usage, but we are confident of meeting all the points in the order," said Ghosh.
In the first IPL match of this season, local franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Punjab Kings on March 25, and four days later they will face Kolkata Knight Riders.
In the third match at home, RCB will be up against Lucknow SuperGiants on April 2.
The officials of Royal Challengers, a pioneer in green initiatives like reviving the city's lakes, also sounded confident of conducting the matches despite the water scarcity in the city.
"We are aware of the situation and are in touch with the KSCA office-bearers. But we have another two weeks in hand before the first match here. So, we are confident of a smooth conduct of matches.
"The venue also complies with the norms of National Green Tribunal, so a system is already in place to tackle such scenarios," said an official on conditions of anonymity.
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Mumbai-Pune Expressway connecting link now fully operational
Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai-bound carriageway of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway connecting link was opened to vehicular traffic on Saturday noon after a delay caused by the dismantling of inauguration infrastructure and cleaning work, a day after the Pune section became operational.
The 13.3 km-long "missing link", which bypasses a section of the Bhor Ghat stretch of the expressway and cuts travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25 to 30 minutes, was inaugurated a day earlier by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.
The Pune-bound carriageway of the corridor was opened to traffic immediately; however, the Mumbai-bound section remained closed to traffic for several hours after the inauguration.
An official of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation told PTI on Saturday that the opening of the Mumbai-bound carriageway was delayed mainly due to the dismantling of the inauguration infrastructure and cleaning work.
The removal of the stage and other decorations was completed in the morning. The work to load and transport the material slightly delayed the opening of the carriageway.
Vehicular movement on the carriageway began after all the remaining material was cleared and road cleaning was completed, the official added.
The expressway control room said that despite significant vehicular movement, the access-controlled highway has not witnessed any major traffic snarls since Friday evening, after the Pune-bound carriageway of the missing link was opened to traffic.
The Missing Link project connects Khopoli (in Raigad) on the Mumbai side to Kusgaon near Lonavala in Pune district and is expected to make the expressway fully access-controlled, easing congestion in the ghat section.
Developed by the MSRDC and dubbed an "engineering marvel", the project includes two tunnels, two viaducts and a cable-stayed bridge over Tiger Valley. It bypasses the steep, accident-prone ghat section, where frequent traffic snarls are reported during weekends and on public holidays.
