The flood-mitigation work for southern suburbs taken up by the Greater Chennai Corporation with funding from the German development bank KfW is in various stages of completion.
Fifteen disposal points in flood-prone areas, including Mylai Balaji Nagar in Madipakkam with disposal at Veerangal Odai, Ram Nagar north near Inner Ring Road and Ram Nagar South have been completed.
Of the 160 km of drains in phase I and II of the project, work on drains running to a length of 20.2 km had been completed, said an official.
The Corporation has completed work on silt catch pits in 641 of the 1,296 locations in Perungudi zone. Fifteen streets in Nanganallur, including in Voltas Colony, Balaji Nagar First Street, Jain Staff Colony, B.V. Nagar, Third Main Road, Lakshmi Nagar, and Nehru Nagar leading to Veerangal Odai, have been completed, the officials said.
“We will complete the work in most parts of Nanganallur and Pallikaranai ahead of the northeast monsoon this year,” said a civic official.
Meanwhile, storm-water drains along 127 roads in Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur zones have been taken up for a length of 39.80 km and work has started in three packages for a contract estimated at ₹175 crore.
“We have completed 36% of the work in areas such as Nanganallur, Madipakkam, Srinivasa Nagar, Ramanujan Nagar North, Sadasivam Nagar, and Guberan Nagar,” said an official.
Tenders have been settled for construction of drains along 65 roads in Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur and work is under way.
“The work started in March. Most of the work is expected to be completed ahead of the northeast monsoon this year,” said an official. Flooding in more than 45 neighbourhoods such as Kannagi Nagar in Sholinganallur zone, Income Tax Colony in Alandur zone, and Annai Teresa Nagar in Perungudi zone will be mitigated after the implementation of the project.
“The new drains are designed with hydraulic analysis and flood modelling. The areas, which used to witness water stagnation up to a depth of two or three feet, will not have any stagnation once the project is completed,” said an official.
₹655-cr. project
“A detailed project report has been prepared for the construction of storm-water drains for a length of 122 km at an estimated ₹665 crore in 11 packages.
The network of drains will discharge water into the Buckingham Canal. At present, State Coastal Zone Management Authority’s clearance has been obtained and it has been forwarded to the National Coastal Zone Management Authority, Delhi, for approval. It is expected that CRZ clearance will be obtained in a month’s time,” said an official.
The scheme will benefit the areas along the Rajiv Gandhi Salai (Old Mahabalipuram Road) and between Kottivakkam and Uthandi on East Coast Road.
The prominent areas which will get new drains are Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Perungudi and Kandanchavadi in Perungudi zone and Neelankarai, Akkarai, Uthandi, Thoraipakkam, Karapakkam, Sholinganallur and Semmencheri in Sholinganallur zone.
“In Phase III, there is a proposal to build cut and cover drain from Semmenchery to Buckingham Canal for a length of 4.2 km, crossing Rajiv Gandhi Salai,” saidan official.
The entire KfW-funded project for southern areas is expected to be completed in two years.
