T Nagar residents want SWD desilted ahead of monsoon

CHENNAI: After living through the harder days during water inundation a few months ago, residents in T Nagar urged the Greater Chennai Corporation to desilt the stormwater drains crisscrossing the shopping hub before the onset of monsoon.

In a petition to Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Chennai Corporation Commissioner, T Nagar Residents' Welfare Association has pointed out that the residents suffered a lot during the flooding in November 2021. "Take up desilting of stormwater drains in various streets in T Nagar and carry out repair works to the same, wherever necessary, to prevent flooding. There is no point in taking up these works just before the onset of the monsoon, " the association urged.

In November, most parts of the city's shopping hub came to standstill as streets and roads were heavily flooded. During the flooding, the stormwater drain network in the area failed due to poor desilting and poor planning of the drains.

A resident pointed out that stormwater drains in T Nagar are filled with sewage due to unchecked violations by the commercial establishments. "During the non-rainy seasons, water flows in the drains, " he added.

Meanwhile, the civic body has commenced desilting the drains in other parts of the city as works are underway in Tondiarpet and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar under Tamil Nadu Urban Employment Scheme at a cost of Rs. 60 lakh. Moreover, tenders have been floated to desilt more than 1,000 kilometers of drain network at a cost of Rs. 39.26 crore.

Are you in Chennai? Then click here to get our newspaper at your doorstep!