Ambattur will soon have a comprehensive stormwater drain network, with the Municipality set to commission a consultant for preparing a detailed project report.
The local body has laid stormwater drain networks running to a distance of 160 km out of the total 515 km. Officials of the municipality said the consultant would have to provide details about design, including collection system and disposal points, to suit the slope in the area.
The consultant would also have to provide details about the project cost as the work would also involve repair of existing SWD.
The local body proposes to seek funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The project is aimed at providing relief to flood-prone areas such as Gnanamurthy Nagar, Korattur and Ambattur Industrial Estate.
The consultant has to submit the project report within two months.
The tendering process for selecting the consultancy is set to begin this month, the official said.
Streetlights
The Ambattur Municipality would also call for a consultant to improve energy efficiency of streetlights. Of the about 17,300 streetlights in the area, about 240 have been installed with energy saving equipment.
The consultant would also have to give information about areas without streetlights.
A computerised facility would also be installed to monitor functioning of the lights. Once the system is in place, the local body would be able to save 30 per cent of its power consumption.
At present, the annual expenditure of the municipality with regard to power consumption is around Rs.2 crore.
The operation and maintenance of the lights would also be privatised.
Online tax payment
Residents would soon be able to pay tax online, with the local body gearing up to provide the long-pending facility.
The municipality has received revenue of Rs.5 crore so far this fiscal against the target of Rs.40 crore as property tax.
The system would be beneficial to around 90,000 assesses for whom the only option is to pay at any of the four collection centres in the area. The council had recently approved the fund allocation of Rs.20 lakh towards launching online services.
