CS Shiv Das Meena inspects, reviews monsoon preparatory works in Chennai

CHENNAI: As the monsoon preparatory works are intensified in the city ahead of the northeast monsoon, chief secretary Shiv Das Meena on Saturday inspected and reviewed the projects carried out by various departments.

He urged the concerned authorities to speed up the works and complete by next month.

The Chief Secretary inspected the ongoing storm water drain preparedness work carried out by the Chennai Metro Rail Limited and Highways Department at Porur.

Subsequently, he inspected the desilting storm water drains in Gerugambakkam taken over by the Water Resources Department (WRD).

The construction works at the point where the Porur lake's surplus water flows to drain in Kolapakkam and a compound wall has been constructed along the Adyar riverbank in Manapakkam.

The highways department constructs a new storm water drain at Kathipara road in Guindy, the official inspected and reviewed the status of the ongoing drain work from the concerned officials.

Meanwhile, the desilting work of storm water drains and silt catch pits carried out in 1,150 km and over 70,000 respectively by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

At least 70 percent of the work has been completed by the local body with the northeast monsoon likely to commence in the next two months.

Since July, an additional 1,000 field workers have been deployed across all wards of the GCC limits, with five workers per ward to desilt drains and silt catch pits.

Officials have been instructed to expedite desilting work within the stipulated period.

GCC commissioner J Kumaragurubaran, CMRL managing director M A Siddique, highways and minor ports department secretary Dr R Selvaraj, deputy commissioner (work), GCC, V Sivakrishnamurthy, regional deputy commissioner (south) M P Amith, senior officials and ward members were part of the inspection on Saturday.