No new road cuts should be done before NE monsoon: KN Nehru

CHENNAI: Municipal Administration minister KN Nehru on Wednesday urged the service departments not to carry out any new road cuts for underground works until the northeast monsoon withdraws.

The officials are instructed to re-lay tar road within 10 days and complete the interlinking of storm water drains across the city by September 30.

The minister addressed the reporters after the inauguration of mobile vehicles for sanitary workers and review meeting ahead of the northeast monsoon.

“Several underground maintenance works have been carried out by Chennai Corporation, metro water board, and Tangedco, we have been instructed to complete the works and re-lay roads within 7 to 10 days. No new road cuts should be done before the onset of monsoon season,” said Nehru.

The civic authorities hold review meetings often and they urged the concerned department officials to speed up the works including storm water drain construction and interlinking, underground sewerage and drinking water pipeline interconnection works.

And ensure it has been completed and road re-laid at the earliest.

“The officials have coordinated with the contractors to finish the construction works soon. If not, we will cancel the contract and should re-tender for the same.

It would lead to delays in work and additional funds should be allocated for it. So, the civic body monitors and conducts meetings regularly to know the status of the development works carried out in the city,” stated the minister.

Desilting of storm water drains has been done for the past two months, and instead of focusing on the newly ongoing construction of SWDs. The interlinking should be completed by the end of the month.

In addition to providing quality drinking water for the residents of Chennai during the monsoon season, the metro water board has changed the pipeline across the city.

Mayor R Priya, deputy mayor M Magesh Kumaar, Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner J Radhakrishnan, Municipal Administration and water supply department chief secretary K Karthikeyan, Tangedco CMD Rajesh Lakhani, other senior corporation officials and ward councilors were part of the review meeting held at Ripon Building on Wednesday.