CHENNAI: A shift in the location of an existing sewage pipe along Tiruvottriyur High Road for Metro Rail work has resulted in the contamination of drinking water, allege local residents.
But, officials from Metro Water who are working along with CMRL, said that no household was affected in any manner during the on-going work.
In the nine-km stretch from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar, which constitutes CMRL’s phase one extension, construction of a few columns was obstructed by a sewage pipe. Due to this, the pipe had to be re-aligned to accommodate the columns, Metro Water officials said.
The officials added that damage caused to any pipe during Metro Rail construction work will be repaired by CMRL using its funds.
“With the concurrence of Metro Water officials, Metro Rail is carrying out this work. All individual houses which were connected to this main sewage line along this stretch will have their connections restored by next month. Only 20 per cent of the total work is remaining,” officials said.
On the other hand, residents allege that when the pipe was shifted, raw sewage seeped into the drinking water pipe.
“Both sewage and water pipes are laid parallel to each other. For the past six months, water we get from hand pumps or taps are blackish in colour and stinks because of sewage contamination,” said Soundar of Kasimedu.
“Metro Water without rectifying this problem keeps sending water through their tankers. All residential houses along TH Road from Washermanpet till Wimco Nagar are affected because of this. Officials pay no heed to our complaints,” said Saravanan of RK Nagar.
But, CMRL denied the claims of residents and said locals mistake that sewage is mixed in the storm water drains.
“There was no underground sewage system previously at Wimco Nagar. Only after CMRL project, the open drains were replaced with closed pipes. Occasionally, during rain, the pipe gets full discharge and overflows, but is immediately cleared. People mistake this to be sewage,” said a CMRL official.