“We
have reviewed the progress of the project and have decided to connect
the disjointed channels on a priority basis. We will also complete the
entire storm water drain work by the end of July,” said G Latha,
commissioner, Coimbatore municipal corporation.

The city
municipal corporation is constructing storm water drains for a total
length of 731.48 km in the old corporation area limits under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
(JNNURM). Presently, the civic body has completed construction of
drains on a length of 537 km however, they still have to connect these
channels to interconnect the drains in order to ensure no water logging
in the particular localities.

“There are lot of areas in the
city where the storm water drains have been left without connecting the
channels at the corners. Residents in localities like Siddhapudur and
areas like Lenin Nagar
are facing lot of issues due to the collection of storm water in the
drains,” said A Nandhakumar, councillor ward no 52, Coimbatore municipal
corporation.

The corporation has identified 110 spots where
the interconnection of the completed drains are to be undertaken on a
priority basis at the moment. The officials involved in the project
claimed that culverts are to be constructed and the channels are to be
joined at these spots. Overall, 1372 culverts have been identified in
the total 731km project.

The stormwater drain project is being
executed in seven separate packages across the old corporation limits.
The corporation had covered 202km till July 2, 2012 and the remaining
335 km were laid since then during the past nine months. The corporation
has completed only the fifth package and the remaining six are in
various stages of completion.