Every northeast monsoon, Anna Main Road, the arterial road in K.K. Nagar, suffers cave-ins due to its weak sewer network. In a bid to provide a permanent solution, Metrowater will soon start preliminary work to strengthen the drainage system in the locality.
Residents noted that a portion of the road near the M.G.R. Nagar Market junction caved in two days ago, and Metrowater then barricaded the area for repairs. E. Ravi, a resident of M.G.R. Nagar, said motorists faced the risk of accidents as the collapsed blacktopped portions were not visible. The busy road connected traffic from Ashok Pillar to areas such as K.K. Nagar and Nesapakkam.
Usually, Metrowater authorities temporarily seal the bursts in the sewer pipelines between the stretch near Ashok Pillar and the M.G.R. Nagar Market junction during such incidents. But the problem could only be resolved if the network on the entire stretch was replaced, he said.
It may be recalled that a portion of the main road caved in during heavy rain last November and temporary repairs worth nearly ₹2 crore was carried out. Residents of K.K. Nagar recalled an instance when there were five simultaneous cave-ins.
The sewer network on Anna Main Road carried the sewage load generated from several areas such as CIT Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Virugambakkam, Saligramam and Saidapet to the sewage treatment plant at Nesapakkam.
Sources in Metrowater said during the monsoon, the sewage load increased from the usual 90 million litres a day (mld) to 130 mld. The corrosion in the old network combined with the poor soil conditions has caused frequent damage to the system.
Pumping station project
The water agency is now finalising tenders for a project worth ₹31.5 crore to improve various sewage pumping stations, such as ones in Bharathidasan Colony and Ashok Nagar, and lay new main sewage pipelines for nearly 3 km in different stretches, including from the old Nesapakkam pumping station to Nesapakkam STP and from the K.K. Nagar pumping station to the Kamarajar Salai junction. The project would benefit nearly 10 lakh residents.
“We expect the stormwater drains to help reduce the amount of floodwater flowing into the sewer network. We will begin preliminary work next month. We are identifying the extent of damage at the pipeline near M.G.R. Nagar Market junction and will complete minor repairs soon,” a Metrowater official said.
