Storm water drain works damage city roads

CHENNAI: The upcoming monsoon for city residents will become a difficult phase to wade through as the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) could not re-lay the roads that have been dug up for the construction of storm water drains (SWD). Moreo- ver, these works, which started based on the learnings from last year’s monsoon, are yet to be completed fully.

According to GCC data, SWD works began on 790 roads and streets. “The Chennai Corporation is yet to remove earth dug up for the drain from the roads in many places. In some places, where the debris has been re- moved, the road is damaged,” M Vishnupriya, a resident of Kodambakkam said.

She added that the new drain has been completed partially in Sivan Koil Street in Kodambakkam but it has been closed. “The portion on the street is full of potholes. Adding to the woes, there’s a wine shop at the spot and we have to navigate through inebriated people walking on the street,” she lamented.

The civic body has taken up the construction of new drains in areas where waterlogging was re- ported last year and based on report prepared by Thirupugazh Committee under World Bank Fund, Singara Chennai and other funding sources. In total, around 150 km of new drains are under construction in several parts of the core city zones.

Vishnupriya warned that even if the city receives moderate rain during the monsoon unlike previ- ous years, commuting will be a nightmare unless the civic body acts immediately.

When asked, a senior official at the Chennai Corporation said that measures have been taken to repair the roads temporarily. “We’ve procured 100 tonnes of cold mix concrete to repair the roads near the new drains. Apart from this, around 20 tonnes of cold mix will be procured for emergency requirements.

“We’ve procured 100 tonnes of cold mix concrete to repair the roads near the new drains. Apart from this, around 20 tonnes of cold mix will be procured for emergency requirements. New roads cannot be laid without com- pleting SWD works,” he added.

A standard operating proce- dure have been issued to engineers based on which the temporary repair works will be carried out. “Contractors have been instructed not to dig the roads afresh, and complete works wherever digging has been done already,” he added. “The civic body has estimated around 2.5 lakh sqm of roads to be filled with cold mix which is on either sides of the new drains.” On the other hand, the civic body will take up patch works across the city as each of the 200 wards have been allocated Rs. 10 lakh for patch works and other preparation works. The GCC estimates around 20,000 sqm of roads should be patched with cold mix.

“We’ve been instructed to complete the patch work and temporary repair of roads before October 10. Works have already been commenced on some places,” the official explained.