SWD work only 40-60% done but no major waterlogging yet

CHENNAI: Despite stormwater drain work is only halfway through in most places, the city’s arterial roads and most interior roads escaped waterlogging after the recent rains. The Corporation recently intensified stormwater drain work by taking up reconstruction of old drains and constructing new ones in 266 streets. “The stormwater drain work is only 40-60% complete across the city, but there has been no major reports of waterlogging, except one or two places. When the work is complete, there won’t be any waterlogging,” said a senior Corporation official. 

Corporation engineers on the field said this time, stormwater drain work was taken up in reverse-starting from the disposal points and working their way backwards. “We got instructions from the commissioner that work should be started from disposal points wherever we are constructing new drains so there is no waterlogging even in these areas,” said a corporation engineer. “Wherever construction work is going on, water got stagnated in the pits dug up,” he added.

However the situation may not remain the same if rains continue. “The draining has been quick because the current network was able to handle the quantum and some run off also drains in the sewage lines. But if rains continue, we may have to pump water out in some areas,” said a Corporation engineer in the Adyar zone. 

Residents of T Nagar said areas, including the bus stand, was waterlogged on Tuesday morning. “Here, the situation has not changed much because the stormwater drain work is not complete,” said Jayaram S, a resident.