before rain:Cleaning work in progress at Kathiri Vaical in Tiruchi on Tuesday.Photo:M.Moorthy

Tiruchi Corporation has launched a drive to clear drainage channels in the city, ahead of the monsoon.

According to Mayor A.Jaya, who inspected the work on clearing the silt accumulation at the Kathiri Vaical off the Vayalur Road on Tuesday along with Commissioner V.P.Thandapani and other officials, the works have been taken up with an initial allotment of Rs.10 lakh in all the four zones.

According to Corporation sources, some of the major drainages, including the Kathiri Vaical, Thennur Irattai Vaical, New Selva Nagar drain and the Kottai Vaical near Chinthamani would be cleared of silt using the funds.

All these works are expected to be completed by the end of this month.The sources pointed out that the Corporation has already taken up a work on constructing retaining walls along the Kathan Vaical at an estimate of Rs.50 lakh and the work was nearing completion.

The corporation is also set to allot a second instalment of Rs.20 lakh for clearing up interior drainage channels across the city.