Engineers appointed as nodal officers to oversee SWD works

CHENNAI: To ensure timely completion of storm water drain work before the onset of monsoon, the Greater Chennai has appointed senior engineers as nodal officers to oversee the progress.

According to an order issued by Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Chennai Corporation Commissioner, 15 chief engineers and superintending engineers have been appointed for each of the 15 zones.Corporation Deputy Commissioner (revenue and finance) Vishu Mahajan and Joint Commissioner (health) Shankar Lal Kumawat have been appointed as additional monitoring officers for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar and Kodambakkam zones respectively as these areas reported heavy water logging.

In Kodambakkam zone, around 21% of storm water drain works have been completed as only 7 km of drain has been constructed out of the 41 km taken up for the works. Similarly, works have been completed for about 13 km in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone whereas the proposal is to construct 73 km of new drains.

During a review meeting, Shiv Das Meena, secretary, Municipal and Water Supply Department instructed the civic body to ensure creation of silt catch pit in storm water drains at every five metres and desilt existing silt catch pits. He also directed quality manholes be used in drains. He also instructed officials to penalise contractors who fail to achieve targets and cancel work orders issued to the contractors if they are yet to commence the works.

Based on the recommendations of the Thirupugazh Committee, the civic body has started desilting Mambalam Canal. Of the total 5.6 km of the canal, desilting has been completed in 2.5 km. As much as 467 tonnes of silt have been removed .