According to a Corporation source, the direction was given during a meeting with 71 contractors who have received work orders. “The meeting was presided over by deputy commissioner (works). The deputy commissioner asked the contractors to take steps to complete the works within a week,” the source said.

It is learnt that the deputy commissioner has also requested the contractors to make temporary arrangements if the works get delayed to avoid inundation in the places where they take up works.

The Corporation had identified missing links and damaged stormwater drains at nearly 330 spots in the city. “The length of the identified missing links is collectively 117 kilometres. Tenders for these works were floated in 71 packages worth Rs 290 crore and work orders were issued on September 24,” a Corporation official said.

Meanwhile, one of the contractors said that the works have started at many locations. “Works are being expedited as the monsoon is around the corner. Temporary drains are a secondary option and will be bolstered if the monsoon starts early,” the contractor said.

In another meeting held at Amma Maligai, division level engineers were directed to keep the motor pumps ready to remove stagnated water. The civic body has also said that it had desilted all the open drains and stormwater drains in 200 divisions.