Chennai Metrowater has started a mass desilting exercise of the sewer network to arrest sewage related issues.
The water agency has accelerated work on arterial and bus route roads, as less traffic has proven to be an advantage, during the lockdown period. Officials of the Metrowater said that the sewer pipelines were being flushed and the clogged lines being cleared of blocks.
The city generates nearly 540 million litres of sewage daily that is collected and treated through the network.
“Normally such works are taken up only during night hours when there is less vehicle movement on the arterial roads like Cathedral Road, Poonamallee High Road and Anna Salai. We are now able to continue the work during the morning hours as strict restrictions are in place for the lockdown period,” said an official.
Desilting of sewer lines running for a length of 507 km in bus route roads and nearly 4,808 km in non-bus route roads has been taken up simultaneously in all zones of the city. A total of 501 sewer machines, including jetrodding, super suction machines and those mounted on three wheelers, are engaged for the operation.
“We are planning to cover the sewer network in 34,764 streets across the city during the lockdown period. This will help prevent blocks and overflow complaints, particularly during monsoon,” the official added.
In most of the zones, Metrowater staff are involved in cleaning the sewer lines in market areas and public places that would otherwise be crowded. For instance, in Area 8, the network on the busy Second Avenue in Anna Nagar is being desilted. There are nearly 11,000 maintenance holes in this zone alone.
“We are working in co-ordination with other government agencies to carry out the maintenance work in the nearly 372-km long pipeline network on the main roads and 2,347 streets in the Area-8. We are able to avoid any damages to utility cables,” the official said.
On an average, nearly 168 cubic metre of silt is removed daily from the sewer lines in Area 8 alone. There has been a drastic dip in plastic and solid waste clogging the lines now as commercial establishments are not functioning, officials added.
Besides clearing silt from the network, damaged portions of the sewer lines are also replaced. Similarly, work is being undertaken to improve drinking water lines as well to enhance water distribution.
