Rs. 6.23 Crore to Modernise Guntur’s Mondigate Drainage
The funds were sanctioned this year and the remaining works would be completed after the monsoon
VIJAYAWADA: The decades-old drainage problem at Mondigate in Guntur city is set to be addressed with `6.23 crore in Railway funds being utilised to modernise the system. Union minister of state for rural development and communications Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar and Guntur East MLA Mohammed Naseer Ahmed laid the foundation stone for the works on Friday.
Dr Pemmasani said drainage water from Guntur city was discharged through three locations, including Peekala Vagu and Mondigate. The existing outlet could handle around 30,000 litres, but during heavy rains, rainwater mixed with sewage and overflowed into nearby houses.
He said the capacity would be increased to 50,000 litres. The works would also benefit farmers whose agricultural lands were affected by drainage overflow.
Modernisation works would be taken up at Rajiv Gruhakalpa, Gottala Road, Venkatarama Theatre and Ziauddin Nagar, with works worth around `2 crore proposed at each location. Dr Pemmasani said initial estimates were around `7-`8 crore and funds were subsequently mobilised from the Railways.
MLA Naseer said sewage generated in Guntur city was reaching Mondigate but was not flowing out smoothly, resulting in frequent overflow. He said the project would benefit more than 50,000 families in Old Guntur. Several other development works, including a substation and Nandivelugu ROB, were also being taken up, he added.
Railway additional DRM Ramesh said the drainage outlet would be modernised to handle more than 25 cubic metres of additional discharge. The funds were sanctioned this year and the remaining works would be completed after the monsoon.
Measures were also being taken to prevent waste from entering the drainage system. BJP and Jana Sena leaders, municipal officials, former corporators, coalition leaders and local residents attended the programme.