The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Desilting of drains leaves behind slush on roads

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 26, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Desilting of drains leaves behind slush on roads

J. Malarvizhi

A two-wheeler skidded and two riders had a bad fall

— Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

CURE CAUSES ILLNESS: The desilting work under progress in Kamaraj Nagar, Tiruvanmiyur, has left debris on the roads for close to a month now, the residents complain.

CHENNAI: The desilting of stormwater drains has led to new problems for residents in the city — added slush on the roads. As the monsoon set in slowly, silt and debris left on the roadside are contributing to making roads dangerous for the users.

The Chennai Corporation is responsible for desilting drains. Silt cannot always be cleared away immediately because it is wet. Workers have to wait anywhere between one and four days to remove silt and debris to the dumping yards, said Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni.

Residents contend that silt left on the roads will only fall back into the drains, especially if it rains before it is cleared. A two-wheeler skidded on the slush formed by desilting, giving its two riders a bad fall, recalled a resident of 3rd East Road in Kamaraj Nagar, Tiruvanmiyur.

Residents on the street claim that silt and debris from clearing stormwater drains on their street had been left in two to three feet high piles for over a month. When it rained recently, a lot of it went back where it came from. Movement of traffic on the narrow street has been affected. Also, new manholes have been dug to desilt stretches of the drains that fall between existing entry points. All have been left open for a few weeks now, the residents complained.

Five metres is the norm for the gap between stormwater drain entry manholes, Corporation officials said.

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