Chennai civic body brings out new proposals for monsoon

Chennai: As preparatory work ahead of the northeast monsoon, the civic body has taken up a slew of measures in the locality.

Virugambakkam MLA V N Ravi visited R K Shanmugam Salai, K K Nagar, on Thursday and inspected the desilting of stormwater drains.

“I will be visiting the places regularly to see that all works are completed before the monsoon,” he told News Today.

According to Corporation officials at K K Nagar, desiliting works are on in all the streets and new drains are to be constructed.

“The exisiting SWD running on one side from Rajamannar Salai to Anna Main Road will be expanded. The SWD Department officials undertook inspection and the work would commence in two weeks,” an official said.

He further said the MGR Nagar canal will be desilted with the help of robotic excavator. Also, damaged SWD covers are being replaced, he said.

At MGR Nagar, desilting works are taking place. “Last year, we completed maximum work and this year we are cleaning a few place left out. We are working on remove water stagnation on Ashok Pillar Road and 60 Ft Road. A cement pipe will be laid, so that the water runs through it and reaches MGR Nagar Canal,” an official said.

In Ashok Nagar, the officials are carrying out SWD works. The civic body on Tuesday conducted a monsoon preparedness review meeting, where it was decided that areas prone to stagnation will be identified and have high-capacity pumps on standby.

Apart from undertaking works to construct 469 missing links in stormwater drains, the Corporation also plans to have 171 axes,

44 electric motor pumps, 414 diesel and petrol high-power pumps and 130 generators on standby.

The Corporation has also said SWD desilting works at an estimated cost of Rs 21 crore had been taken up.

The Metrowater on its part has advised the residents to contact the area offices/depot offices of CMWSSB for proper guidance on installation and maintenance of rain water harvesting (RWH) structures. The officials of CMWSSB would inspect the houses / buildings to assess the conditions of RWHs. The public are requested to maintain the RWH systems properly, for effective recharge of rainwater and thereby help to improve the water table and its quality in Chennai, which will benefit during water scarcity.