Chennai: Pending stormwater drainage work poses flood threat
Chennai: Stormwater drain work undertaken by Greater Chennai Corporation in many places remains incomplete instilling fear of floods in the city and suburbs.
Officials claim they will complete pending work before the start of northeast monsoon. Residents, who faced major brunt of 2015 flood, have urged officials to accelerate works.
Sources said there are 15 corporation zones under the control of GCC and even after the floods in 2015, the corporation officials miserably failed to take effective stormwater drainage system.
Even as officials took up such works in many areas, they have not completed and in some places there are only trenches posing threats to the public and motorists.
An official of Ambattur zone said, “Works are being done in a phased manner and since such works are taken up along the arterial roads, there will be some delay owing to heavy traffic jam. So, workers are pressed into services during night time.” The official exuded confidence that all the works relating to storm water will come to end soon.
However, residents still fume over pending works. “The officials do not seem to have learned a lesson or two from the past instances in terms of storm water drainage and sewage system management. Both city and suburbs, which were marooned during 2015-floods lack proper drainage system,” said P Viswanathan, coordinator of Chitlapakkam Residents Welfare Association.
If there is a heavy rain for at least half an hour, all main roads become water-logged in a quick succession, indicating ineffective stormwater drainage system, Viswanathan noted.
When contacted, a senior corporation official, on conditions of anonymity, said, “We have continuously been undertaking storm water drainage works and will complete them before the onset of north-east monsoon. We have also instructed zonal officials to monitor such works and submit the reports soon.”
When asked about left out trenches, the official quipped, “those trenches are dug for carrying out works and are not left out half. We will continue works.”
