The Hindu 04.11.2009

Tenders floated for drain project

Chennai, Nov. 3: Chennaiites may not have to wade through slushy, flooded roads from the next monsoon as the city corporation is going the Mumbai way with the micro and macro drain project. The project that will cost about Rs 1,500 crore, funded by the Centre, promises to extend the carrying capacity of stormwater drains to withstand 25 centimetres of rain per day, said corporation commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni.

Chennai’s stormwater drains at present can drain only 12 to 14 cm of rain per day, one of the reasons for streets flooding at the slightest shower, compared to Mumbai’s 30 cm/day limit. The commissioner said tenders for the project were now being floated and the project will be implemented in phases.
Under the project, new stormwater drains along arterials roads like Mount Road are also planned and the corporation would coordinate with other civic departments like PWD, Chennai Metrowater and state highways for executing the project, Mr Lakhoni said.

According to Ripon building sources, the ambitious Chennai macro and micro drain project under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission would take at least three years to complete. The city is divided into 12 zones. Surplus stormwater in the flood-hit areas of Kolathur, Velachery, Maduravoyal and Okkium Maduvu will be diverted to the Cooum and south Buckingham canal.

As per preliminary plans, the corporation would undertake canal and drain works at a cost of Rs 812 crore. PWD will supervise canal work worth over Rs 600 crore.

Besides, the project will also strengthen and deepen Otteri Nullah and Virugambakkam canal. The corporation has appointed a consultant to study and strengthen the bunds of major canals including Captain Cotton canal, Mambalam canal, Kodungaiyur canal and Nandanam canal, sources added.

The Hindu 04.11.2009

Encroachments removed

Staff Reporter

— Photo: P. Goutham

Action taken: The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board workers removing encroachments at Velliyankadu in Erumapalayam in Salem on Tuesday.

SALEM: A team of officials from the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board removed encroachments at Velliyankadu in Erumapalayam here on Tuesday.

Officials demolished over 30 houses constructed by occupying the land belonging to the Salem Corporation. The civic body handed over the land to the slum clearance board for the construction of apartment buildings to provide housing facilities to sanitary workers and to those who lived in the slum areas located near the Kitchipalayam dump yard.

Notices

The board had already served notices on over 80 families that occupied the Corporation land and constructed houses. The Corporation had promised these families to allot flats after constructing the buildings.

While members of 40 families vacated their houses based on the assurance from the Corporation, a few families refused to do so.

On Tuesday, the board along with the city police personnel removed the encroachments on the land.

The board officials said that the State Government allotted Rs. 10.56 crore for the construction of over 400 flats in the first phase.

The construction would be completed in nine months. In the second phase, over 440 flats would be constructed, the officials added.