Open drains continue to be an eyesore and a health hazard in many parts of the city. While the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation is drawing up plans to expand the sewer network, the drains in many areas are poorly maintained. Every year, the civic body allocates lakhs of rupees in its annual budget for constructing cement concrete drains and to clear the silt from the existing ones. Yet, most of the drains present a picture of neglect and squalor.
The open drain that runs along the K.K. Nagar Main Road is a case in point. It originates from the residential colonies around Khajamalai, runs along Indian Bank Colony, SIMCO Meters, and Krishnamoorthy Nagar before entering Crawford area.
The drain seems to have made its own course as it winds its way in front of bus stops, shops, houses, and the SIMCO Meters factory. Its width ranges from just a couple of feet to over four or five feet. It is clogged at several places with plastic and solid waste. Close to the SIMCO Meters factory, thick growth of weeds has created a huge cesspool, turning into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. “The drain is very badly maintained. It runs right in front of the Indian Bank Colony bus stop and passengers are not able to use the bus shelter and the seats on it. It is time the authorities took steps to clear the drain, which has almost turned into a canal,” says C. Anandakumar, a resident of K.K. Nagar.
Residents of the locality are sore that although the colonies had come up more than three decades ago , the civic body had not provided proper drainage. The drains are an eyesore in the otherwise well developed locality, they say.
The corporation officials say the problem would be sorted out once the underground drainage system is implemented.
For several years now, the corporation has been affirming that priority will be given for improving amenities in the newly-added areas of the city. But this has remained largely on paper. The civic body should build proper drains and cover them with concrete slabs until the underground sewer network was extended to all residential colonies here, says G. Vignesh, another resident.
