Storm-water drain work in Chennai to be resumed in January

Shutters with pumping system installed along the canals at 30 locations prove effective in mitigating the problem of floods in vulnerable areas, say officials

The Greater Chennai Corporation will resume work on the storm-water drains and installation of shutters with a pumping system along the canals to prevent flooding in the city.

The civic body has installed shutters at 30 locations with a pumping system along places like the Buckingham Canal to prevent reverse flow of the water. Such a system, which was cost-effective, would be implemented in more locations such as Madipakkam, Alandur and Tiruvottiyur after January, the officials said.

This year, the Corporation found the system of pumps and shutters to be effective in flood mitigation of flooding. Wherever the residents required the GCC to expand the system, the Corporation would pose such projects to the State government under the Singara Chennai 2.0.  

“Wherever the drain enters the main waterway such as Buckingham Canal, earlier the mouths used to be at the same level, entering into the canal without a sluice gate shutter. When the Buckingham Canal is full, there is reverse flow causing flooding in nearby areas, especially Tondiarpet. This year we put up shutter and closed the mouth of the drain with a stutter while the water level was high. But at the same time, we diverted the water to a sump and then pumped it to the canal with water at a higher level, using submersible pumps. That way we were remove the clogs the drain when the Buckingham Canal was full of water,” said an official.

Already, the Corporation had taken up storm-water drain projects under the Singara Chennai 2.0 in two phases. While the outlay for Phase 1 was ₹175 crore and it was ₹87 crore for Phase 2. Work in severely flood-prone areas were completed on priority before October 25, which had had a good impact. The civic body would resume work on feeding lanes and bylanes from January. 

The State government had allocated ₹290 crore for smaller drains across the city. At least 25% of the work was expected to be taken up in January. Concurrence of the multilateral funding agencies had been sought for work in areas in northern and southern parts of Chennai.