Stalin to expedite culvert projects across tracks to mitigate flooding in Chennai

He will launch an inspection with Indian Railways engineers

As a number of flood mitigation projects in the city have been delayed, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has started coordination with agencies such as Indian Railways to expedite the work.

Starting Monday, engineers from the Indian Railways and Greater Chennai Corporation will inspect works, including the Perambur culvert near Ganesapuram subway, in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to expedite the project that has been delayed for three years owing to issues pertaining to railway safety. A proposed culvert measuring 3 metre by 3 metre across the railway tracks near Ganesapuram subway has been delayed for three years. The civic body proposed the work in 2021 but the work is yet to be completed.

Many localities in the vicinity of railway lines were flooded in the first spell of rain during the northeast monsoon. CMDA and HR and CE Minister P.K.Sekar Babu said, “According to estimates, 32 localities have been flooded because of issues pertaining to coordination with other agencies and a delay in completion of culverts across railway tracks. Areas near ICF were flooded this time. We are constructing temporary drains in such areas. We will construct sumps and install pumps to bail out water. A sump of 40,000 litres capacity is being constructed to pump water,” he said.

Residents in areas such as Kolathur have also demanded implementation of work to drain water across railway land to mitigate flooding in areas near Perambur Loco Works Railway Station. “We have a proposal for a culvert in railway land to mitigate flooding. But it has not been taken up,” said a councillor of GCC. Residents have demanded the government to expedite projects in railway land, in highway land and along major waterways to mitigate flooding.

For instance, residents in Korattur have started demanding culverts across railway land. They have also opposed the move of Chennai Corporation to implement alternative alignment to drain water from Korattur to Koyambedu into the Cooum. AIADMK Councillor J. John of ward 84 said the railways had given NoC for construction of four culverts across railway land to mitigate floods in Korattur. But the work had not been implemented. “Chennai Corporation is unwilling to pay the sum of money demanded by the railways, as the amount is exorbitant. The GCC is planning alternative alignment to Koyambedu or Maduravoyal which may not solve the problem completely. The residents have requested the government to construct the four culverts in railway land to mitigate flooding in Korattur,” he said.

Similarly, the lack of proper culverts in areas such as Kodambakkam and T.Nagar to drain water across railway tracks had been causing flooding in these areas. The Corporation had not been able to mitigate flooding in some areas near railway tracks because engineers tried alternatives to construct drains in a different alignment instead of focusing on culverts across railway land, sources said.

Published - November 02, 2024 07:38 pm IST