Highways Department to rebuild damaged underground channel on Taramani Link Road

The Water Resources Department had built the underground channel recently to prevent flooding along the 70 km stretch of Taramani Link Road.

The facility helped channelising the surplus water from Velachery lake to Buckingham canal to prevent inundation of rainwater at various places including Tansi Nagar, Dandeeswaram, Annai Indira Nagar and Bethel.

But, the Highways Department had demolished portions of underground channel at multiple places to construct a pier for an under-construction grade separator project last month.

Subsequently, social activists flagged their work for wasting tax payer’s money used to construct the underground channel.

The installation of grade separator has been under way for more than three years.

A motorist who felt that the traffic bottlenecks had aggravated following the demolition of the underground channel, said, “This slow-paced project causes major traffic problems along the OMR. It is tough to navigate this stretch especially during peak hours. We hope that the Highways Department would speed up work and complete the project at the earliest.”

An official from the Highways Department said that they are preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the construction of a drain on Taramani Link Road.

“We have invited a consultant to prepare a DPR for the work. Along with this, a construction of drain at GNT Road will also be undertaken. The projects are expected to cost Rs 20.46 lakh. It will take more than three months to complete it.”