Residents along the East Coast Road want the roadworks in their areas to be postponed until drinking water connections are provided by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).
People in Kottivakkam, Palavakkam and Perungudi, which were brought under the Greater Chennai Corporation limits, have been waiting for piped water supply and an underground drainage network for many years now.
The Federation of East Coast Road Residents’ Welfare Associations recently represented to the Corporation asking the civic body to coordinate with the CMWSSB before taking up the roadworks.
“Our areas still lack basic infrastructure even many years after they were merged with the GCC. We are managing with packaged drinking water and borewells,” said Kazura Gardens Residents Welfare Association vice-president Srilakshmi Mohan Rao.
Similar is the situation in Palavakkam, where the pipeline work was completed after much delay due to various issues such as finding a site for the water tank.
N. Kesavan, general secretary of the Federation of ECR Residents’ Welfare Associations, said to avoid road cutting, the Corporation should take up work after the water and drainage connections were given. “We have been waiting for blacktop roads for a decade now. We would be forced to use the damaged stretch if work is not postponed. Priority must be given to water supply and drainage connections to be provided to avoid the waste of funds,” he said.
CMWSSB plans camps
CMWSSB officials said they were preparing to conduct camps for giving water connections. “We have completed trial commissioning of the network. We may have to wait for six months to get permission for road cutting if the roads are laid and the project would be delayed,” said an official.
A population of nearly 1.25 lakh would be provided nearly 18.82 million litres a day of water in three localities. Nearly 9,700 water supply connections are set to be given in 767 streets under the ₹92-crore project. Work on a sewer network at Perungudi had been completed, the officials added.
Corporation Deputy Commissioner (Works) Meghanath Reddy said a coordination meeting had been held with CMWSSB officials. The civic body would start relaying roads in these areas only after the water board submits the list of roads where water connection works had been completed.
