Even after the onset of the northeast monsoon, Chennai Corporation is yet to complete desilting of the stormwater drain network in many areas.
Residents said that stormwater drains along many stretches have been desilted only near the manhole owing to inadequate manpower. Former Corporation Councillor S.Mangala Raj said many stretches in Mylapore and T.Nagar have not been properly desilted.
“Desilting in Karaneeswarar Pagoda Street is incomplete. The workers are removing silt only near the manholes. This may cause inundation during very heavy rains this monsoon,” he said.
During the previous years, the workers used to clean the entire stormwater drain clearing silt from one manhole to another. But the number of workers was inadequate and the workers do not have necessary equipment for desilting, he claimed. Residents pointed to incomplete desilting on Millers Road in Kilpauk, Arya Gowda Road in West Mambalam, Postal Colony, Mundakanniamman Koil Street, Thanikachalam Street in T.Nagar, Kodambakkam High Road in West Mambalam, Govindan Road and Royapettah High Road.
Less clogging
Water flow in new drains along bus routes such as Triplicane High Road was better even without desilting owing to the reduced amount of silt in such drains constructed recently.
Stretches that require 30 labourers for desilting have just five to seven on the field, they point out.
The Corporation has extended the deadline for completion of desilting to October 18 from October 15. But the corporation has been able to clear only around 50% of the 3.22 lakh cubic metre silt accumulated along the 1,636 km of stormwater drain network in the city. Many corporation workers said the illegal sewage inlets in stormwater drains were affecting the desilting work in the city.
