Residents want manholes repaired before monsoon

After 2015-floods that wreaked havoc on the city, over 70,000 manholes were completely damaged, leading to rainwater mingle with sewage. 

“The CMWSSB officials should inspect all the manholes before monsoon. I still remember the damage caused during the 2015-north-east monsoon floods and the seepage of rainwater into manholes. 

So, the officials should identify all the dilapidated manholes and carry out repair works,” said S Kumar, a resident of KK Nagar.  He also said that though it would be difficult for officials to identify all the damaged ones, workers should be pressed into action to undertake repair works to reduce the struggle of commuters. 

Dr Sekhar Raghavan, director of The Rain Centre, who blamed both Greater Chennai Corporation officials and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) wanted necessary measures taken ahead of the rainy season so that we can save rainwater. In many places, rainwater is being let into sewage,” he said. 

Equally responsible is the public, who sometime remove the covers of manholes to avoid rainwater stagnation and this should be prevented. 

Officials in CMWSSB say that they are in the process of repairing such damaged manholes and inspecting them in the city. The CMWSSB is well prepared to face any eventuality during north-east monsoon. As a precautionary measure, the entire sewer system is being desilted by a special preventive maintenance program by using the sewer cleaning equipment such as jet rodding machine, super sucker, jetting cum suction machine and desilting machine, said a statement. CMWSSB has also taken meticulous measures to tackle the ensuing north-east monsoon with effective preparedness.