Desilting of stormwater drains to be carried out all year, says Mayor Priya

CHENNAI: Following the unseasonal rainfall and waterlogging in the city, the storm water drains (SWD) will be desilted throughout the year, said Mayor R Priya during the council meeting. The GCC has allocated Rs 50 lakh per zone for the project.

The city has been experiencing sudden rainfall even during the non-monsoon seasons causing many interior streets to be waterlogged.

“To prevent rainwater stagnation, officials are instructed to desilt SWDs and remove silt catch pits throughout the year. A total of Rs 50 lakh has been allocated for each zone,” said Priya. The work is expected to begin after the northeast monsoon ends this year.

Councillors pointed out that the contractors who were hired to desilt SWDs failed to clean them; instead, they are left as open pits on the road.

“When there is rain, the dumped silt would flow into the drains. The situation worsens during the monsoon,” said one of the councillors.

Additionally, ward councillors urged civic authorities to plug off the illegal sewage connections from residential and commercial buildings that are let into the SWDs in the locality. Councillor V Rajan of Ward 143 said, “The corporation should form a committee along with the Metro Water board and inspect the SWDs. Officials should ensure that illegal sewage connections are plugged off at the earliest. Such steps would prevent unnecessary blockage in the drains.”

The GCC has already started desilting SWDs for the southwest monsoon, but the pace due is slow to manpower shortage. “Before the desilting works begin, we urge the authorities to recruit additional workers for this project. So, it would be completed within the stipulated period and prevent waterlogging in the residential areas,” said Councillor V Kavi Ganesan of Ward 12.