With desilting under way and extra motor pumps, Velachery prepared for next monsoon rains, says Ma Su

CHENNAI: During the first spell of the northeast monsoon, several areas including Velachery were inundated due to a lack of flood mitigation works. To prevent flood situation during the next spells, the Chennai corporation has installed additional motor pumps and tractors at various places in Adyar zone (zone 13), Health Minister Ma Subramanian said during an inspection tour of six vent culverts in Velachery on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters, Subramanian said, “During the financial year 2022-23, work on about 50 km of stormwater lines had been completed in the Adyar zone. The second phase of desilting work is currently on in 166km of the total length of 175 km.

Desilting works have been carried out at various water bodies, including the Guindy industrial estate canal, Mambalam canal, and the south and central Buckingham canal, to prevent inundation during intense monsoon spells.” To prevent stagnation during intense downpours, as many as 25 motor pumps, 20 electric pumps, 52 tractor motor pumps, and 23 motor pumps with horse power capacity of 100 are kept on standby in the Adyar zone.

In Velachery, excess rainwater flows through six vent culverts, and it has been desilted at an estimated cost of Rs 27.60 lakh. “Rainwater from wards 172, 175, 176, 177, and 178 in Velachery flows through Veerangal Odai and the six vent culverts that run under the railway bridge and finally reach low-lying areas. The desilting of the entire Veerangal Odai has been completed,” added the health minister. Apart from desilting the culverts, the local body has created ponds on the government land adjacent to six vent culverts to store excess rainwater. Measures have been taken in Velachery to ensure that rainwater does not accumulate. Following an agreement with the Southern Railway and the Chennai corporation, urgent desilting work has been carried out in the stormwater drain near the MRTS road at Rs 23.94 lakh.

Meanwhile, Mayor R Priya, along with minister for Hindu religion and charitable endorsement P K Sekar Babu, inaugurated an indoor badminton court constructed at a cost of Rs 93.25 lakh, under the Mayor’s Development Fund at ward 74 in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone (zone 6).