By Lamin Cham
The HDPE transmission network for the US$22M National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has been successfully completed and handed over to Nawec.
The project, under the Government of the India LOC, is funded by Exim Bank of India and implemented by the Shapoorji Pallonji Joint Venture SPJV and Crux Consultant.
It involved the replacement of Asbestos Water Pipes with UPVC Pipes in The Greater Banjul Area.
The handing over ceremony was attended by Nawec MD Nani Juwara Alhagie Dibba (Director Water works), and Ram Mohan (Honoray Consul of India in The Gambia.
Team Shapoorji Pallonji explained that apart from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic conditions in the country, SP JV also encountered numerous challenges during the course of execution but that notwithstanding, SP JV proactively with its focused approach, managed to successfully hand over the Transmission water pipeline network to NAWEC on 7th January 2021. He said over 80 percent of the people who worked on the project are Gambians and the Shapoorji Pallonji team have been working effectively, by training NAWEC’s team and thus transferring technology to the indigenous Gambians.
Shapoorji Pallonji is now working towards making the final handing over of the project to NAWEC. With the commissioning of this latest technology of transmission network, water from boreholes can be remotely controlled from Sukuta control room and transferred to Sukuta, Fajara and Kanifing through a click of a button on the computer.
The Managing Director of NAWEC Nani Juwara expressed satisfaction with the quality of material procured from India by the contractor and the executed works. He expressed his gratitude to the Exim Bank of India, The Government of India for their continued assistance and also thanked Shapoorji Pallonji and Crux consultant for their immense support and cooperation in achieving the commissioning of the transmission mains.
