'Planned areas in Chennai had major relief in recent intense rains'
Following the expert committee's report, SWD have been constructed in the core areas that did not witness water logging during the recent rainfall.
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CHENNAI: Almost 99 percent of planned areas in the core city had major relief during the recent intense rains. However, the challenges we face are due to private estate companies where roads have been maintained by the industries and compound walls illegally constructed by gated communities, which resulted in water stagnation on the road, said Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan on Sunday after reviewing the newly constructed storm water drain at Prakasam Road, Broadway.
He further added that the civic body has formed a search and rectify team to identify such areas to prevent flooding during the monsoon season.
Following the expert committee's report, storm water drains have been constructed in the core areas that did not witness water logging during the recent rainfall.
"Also, many areas, including Puzhal, Alandur, Velachery, Guindy, subways, and bus stands, saw water stagnation that was pumped out within an hour. We have deployed an additional workforce to monitor and tackle the monsoon situation for the next two months. The deputy commissioners of health, works, education, revenue, and finance are instructed to monitor three to four zones in the city," Radhakrishnan told reporters.
The city corporation has desilted 156 ponds and removed silt from the catchpit of rainwater harvesting and sponge parks to recharge groundwater levels through non-structural methods.
The commissioner urged the public to raise complaints through 1913 if water stagnated in their areas.
Talking about the road cut carried out by the civic body, the municipal administration minister urged the authorities to deny permission till the northeast monsoon withdraws in Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, a road cut was done in 52 km of length, and the road was re-laid in 33 kilometers. And the remaining roads are laid with cement. On a war footing basis, a pothole filling tender has been floated zone-wise to carry out patch work on the damaged roads.
Radhakrishnan explained, "Recently, road cuts have been done to carry out missing links in the storm water drains. However, the new construction under Kosasthalaiyar and Kovalam basins would begin in January 2024, as the deadline for these projects is in 2025."