The Highways Department has drawn up an estimate of ₹40 crore for the construction of cross culverts to carry floodwater beneath railway tracks at five locations in Chennai.
Two of them are in Vepery and the floodwater would be taken to the Buckingham Canal while three would be on GST Road near the Dargah, the Vetri Theatre point in Chromepet and near the Pallavaram flyover, explained an official source.
The proposal, under which the highways would construct lead off drains and the railways would build the box culverts under the tracks, has been sent to the State government for approval.
The works have been necessitated because the existing 1 m x 1 m culverts beneath the tracks are unable to carry the increased flow of rainwater, leading to stagnation of water on the road at these points. “These culverts carry only about 60% of their capacity during rain due to silt and utility lines running through them occupying space,” another official said.
The proposed culverts would be larger in capacity and more in numbers to carry more water.
The floodwater from the GST Road would be emptied into the Pallavaram Periya Eri.
A resident of Pallavaram, M. Jayaraman, said though the idea was good, it would only end up bringing silt and dirt into the lake.
“Perhaps the government can consider setting up mini stormwater treatment plants at the points where such water is let into waterbodies, which in many cases are drinking water sources,” he said.
