The Chennai Corporation is in a scramble to complete monsoon preparedness works relating to the civic projects funded by multilateral agencies at more than 1,000 locations.
The works include fixing of slabs to cover the new drains being developed along various roads, connecting such drains with the nearest disposal points and exploring alternatives to removing obstructions.
Following a meeting with senior officials of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department on Friday, the civic body has asked contractors to suspend commencement of fresh work and focus on covering the stormwater drains with slabs along 400 roads before any heavy spell of rains this monsoon to prevent accidents.
“Work on development of stormwater drains along 400 roads is under way. Our focus is on covering the drains in a few days. Fresh work will not start,” said an official.
The World Bank has funded the development of stormwater drains along 1,980 roads identified in the zones of Valasaravakkam, Alandur and Ambattur along the Adyar and Cooum rivers. The work order for the project was issued in February 2016. “We have completed 35 per cent of the works,” said the official.
Many drains have not been completed, owing to obstructions such as trees, transformers and EB cables.
Work on four canals will be taken up after removal of 20 encroachments along Padi Kuppam Canal.
Put on hold
Similarly, work on commissioning of 700 street lights along various roads have been suspended to facilitate development of stormwater drains in such areas. “We will complete the work on street lights in January. The project on commissioning of street lights has been funded by the German development bank, KfW,” said an official.
As many as 1.1 lakh street lights have been commissioned in added areas of the city with funding from KfW. The civic body is set to receive funding from JICA for development of stormwater drains along Kosasthalaiyar in zones such as Tiruvottiyur, Manali and Madhavaram.
