The Vellore Corporation has taken up the construction of a four-feet broad channel from Mullipalayam to Palar River, to address the problem of rainwater stagnation in Shenbakkam Zone.

Complaints of water stagnation in areas of Mullipalayam and Kalaspalayam under the fourth zone Shenbakkam, especially during the rains, have become regular.

Rainwater, along with drainage waste from elevated areas like Kasba and R N Palayam, has been flowing through this area and stagnating here for the past two decades, it was said.

Following several petitions from the public, Corporation officials led by Commissioner P Janaki Raveendran, engineer Baskaran and Town Planning Officer M Kannan visited the spot on Wednesday and held inquiries. During the inquiry, the officials identified encroachments by around 10 houses in Kalaspalayam area as the reason for stagnation of rainwater flow here. A poclain machine was brought to the spot immediately and the encroachments were cleared.

The engineer said that a residential building, a hut with cement walls and seven thatched huts were cleared.

The Corporation Commissioner said that notices had already been issued to those houses found to have encroached the space identified for the construction of the channel. But no steps were taken by the building owners so far, she added.

She said a four-feet broad channel would be constructed for 120 metres and rainwater would be discharged into Palar River.

A sum of ` 60 lakh had  been allotted for the work under the Integrated Housing Shelter Development Programme. The channel work  would be completed soon to address the issue during the rainy season.