The Chennai Corporation has revised the massive project for flood mitigation in the city, involving construction of new drainage systems in four basins under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). A number of stretches have been dropped from the list of roads that were due to get new stormwater drains.

According to the revised project report, the allocation for the Chennai Corporation has been reduced from Rs. 814.88 crore to Rs. 747.64 crore. The total number of works in the revised project in the four basins will be 970.

The Chennai Corporation has said that the project will not be completed before the deadline on account of roadblocks caused by major infrastructure projects such as Metrorail, denial of permission by Traffic Police, rising prices of cement, problems in shifting of utilities, 3500 encroachments, illegal sewer connections in stormwater drains and elections held last year.

The civic body has been able to complete 25 per cent of the work so far.

Former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi launched the flood mitigation project for the city in 2010 and the work was proposed to be completed in three years.

The Chennai Corporation and the Public Works Department had come together and chalked out a comprehensive flood-management plan under the JNNURM at an estimated cost of Rs. 1447.91 crore. The revised project after dropping many stretches will cost Rs. 1475.43 crore.

The work on biometric identification of families on encroached drains has also been delayed because of opposition from residents. The civic body will not be able to commence work on micro drains without resettlement and rehabilitation of the families.

The Chennai Corporation has started using pre-cast concrete for the stormwater drain work to reduce the time required for completion of the project in many localities. Yet the flow of sewage because of illegal sewer connections has slowed down the pace of work.

The civic body is likely to seek approval from the Union Government for the revised detailed project report to bring about a permanent solution for the problem of flooding during the monsoon.