Modified Guidelines for Laying of Water Pipelines on PWD Roads

Update: Modification of guidelines vide No. 1M-3/16/90-R/PL dated 22.03.2023

Government of West Bengal
Public Works Department
Planning Branch
Nabanna, Howrah

No. 1M-3/16/192-R/PL Dated: 17.11.2021

Subject:- Modified guidelines for streamlining the process and procedure for laying of water pipelines on PWD

Public Works Department has formulated a modified guidelines for streamlining the process and procedure for laying of water pipelines on PWD. All concerned Officials in Public Works Department will prepare the projects and will execute the projects following the enclosed modified guidelines marked as annexure-I.

This circular will take immediate effect.

Joint Secretary (Roads)
Public Works Department

Annexure-I

Memo No. 1M-3/16/192-R/PL Dated: 17.11.2021

Modified guidelines for laying of water pipelines on PWD roads

After careful examination of the existing procedure for laying of new pipelines for water supply schemes along/ on the existing PWD roads and shifting of pipelines for widening and improvement of PWD roads issued vide No. 1M-03/16/507-R/PL dated 20/03/2019 following are the revised guidelines:

1. Application for permission for road cutting/ road crossing by PHED to PWD and request for shifting of pipelines by PWD to PHED are to be placed before the concerned Superintending Engineer of the concerned Department by the Superintending Engineer of the requiring Department.

2. Application is to be accompanied by scheme network drawings, cross section drawing of pipe laying, plan drawing showing position of pipe with respect to road centre and temporary restoration specifications & methodology will have to be shared before finalisation of the project.

3. To ensure minimum damage to existing infrastructure, following shall be followed in case of laying of pipelines:

a) Laying of pipeline by canal side/ kutcha road/ village road/ irrigation ditch/ less busy road instead of busy major roads & highways, would be preferred wherever technically feasible. Under unavoidable circumstances, laying of pipelines over the road may be permitted through extreme end of Right of Way (ROW) of the road causing minimum hindrance to the traffic. Before framing the estimate, Officer of PHED should jointly inspect the road to note the existing land condition. Development of borrowpit may be considered in the estimate where pipeline has to be laid through borrowpit at the extreme edge of carriageway thereby causing minimum hindrance to the traffic.

b) If it is impossible to lay pipeline along the extreme end of Right of Way (ROW) of the road, pipeline may be laid along the earthen flank/ flank made of moorum, brick bats etc. The depth of top of the pipeline from the existing black top level should be decided jointly with the field officers of PWD.

c) To avoid cut and cover method on road side to the extent feasible, PHED shall use micro-tunnelling or trenchless technology for laying water pipeline and estimate will be prepared accordingly. All road crossing shall be done by micro tunnelling or trenchless technology. The depth of top of pipeline from the existing black top level should be decided jointly with the PWD Officers for safety of road and future pressure of vibration during re-sectioning work by PWD. High Quality pipe and their proper joints should be used by PHE Department to arrest any leakage of pipe to avoid inconvenience of road users and for avoiding of contractual litigation while the road is under Defect Liability Period (DLP).

d) In exceptional cases, if micro tunnelling is not feasible PHED may approach PWD for excavation of existing carriageway.

e) During preparation of the estimate for laying of pipeline, necessary cost for road restoration shall be incorporated in the estimate itself. Estimate of road restoration (technically vetted by the competent officers) shall be obtained from the concerned officers of PWD.

f) PHED’s Contractor shall execute the temporary restoration work in such a way that vehicular traffic can ply over it safely immediate after laying pipe. Permanent restoration shall be undertaken by PWD contractor out of road restoration fund which will have to be deposited by PHED.

g) A programme of work schedule will have to be communicated to the concerned Executive Engineer of PWD prior to commencement of pipe laying work by PHED.

h) In case of pipeline over any Water Body or River, PHED shall not lay the pipes on the structures like Bridges, Flyovers etc. to cross the Water Bodies as far as feasible. If PHED proposed laying of their pipeline over any structure like Bridge/Flyover etc., such proposal would be adopted only on approval from PWD, if found feasible.

4. To ensure minimum damage to PHE pipelines while undertaking road work, following shall be followed:

a) Examine whether widening can be carried out on the side of road which does not have PHE pipelines.

b) Wherever possible keep space for utilities within the right of way.

c) During preparation of the civil estimate, necessary cost for shifting of water pipelines, if required, shall be incorporated in the civil estimate and this estimate of pipeline shifting (technically vetted by the competent officers) shall be obtained from the concerned officers of the Public Health Engineering Department.

d) If the existing pipeline required to be shifted for proposed road improvement/ construction, PHED shall execute the pipeline shifting work to an appropriate location/ alignment out of the fund to be deposited by PWD to PHED soon after AA&FS for the road improvement project.

e) A programme of work schedule in detail will have to be communicated to the concerned Executive Engineer of PHED regarding road improvement work by PWD.

5. Laying of water pipelines for ongoing PHED work.

a) If it is absolutely necessary to excavate hard shoulder or carriageway of the road, PHED shall obtain necessary road restoration estimate from the concerned officer of PWD and PHED shall deposit necessary funds to the concerned officer of PWD as per technically vetted estimate.

b) General Approval from Finance Department for DLP waiver in such cases will be taken.

c) After deposition of restoration cost to PWD, concerned Superintending Engineer of PWD will issue permission for road cutting on fulfilment of the condition as stated under point 3(a) to 3(h) herein before.

6. The works of pipeline laying, pipeline shifting and road restoration will be completed within the minimum possible time after receiving permission.

7. This is issued in supersession of earlier guidelines circulated vide PWD’s No. 1M-03/16/507-R/PL dated 20.03.2019.

This is issued as agreed during mutual consultation between Department of Public Health Engineering and PWD and with concurrence of Finance Department vide U.O. No. Group-F/2021-2022/0040 and U.O. Date: 29/10/2021

Joint Secretary (Roads)
Public Works Department

No. 1M-3/16/192-R/PL dated 17.11.2021, Source