CHENNAI: The city corporation has started desilting catch-pits of stormwater drains in preparation for the South West and North East monsoon. The Chennai Corporation has allocated an upper limit of `50 lakhs for each zone.
The civic body has 2,624 kilometres of stormwater drains of which 1,731 kilometres were desilted last year. It has now taken up desilting work on the remaining. Desilting is usually done in cycles and after a check of the silt which is weighed at the dumpyard, payments are made to contractors, barring a shrinkage margin of around 25%. “The deadline for completion of work is June 30. We aim to complete the first round of desilting by July 15 and then focus on troubleshooting,” said S Rajendiran, chief engineer.
Zonal officials were instructed to study waterlogging and identify the cause. Accordingly, a classic amphibian has been put to work at the south Buckingham Canal in Thiruvanmiyur and the north Buckingham Canal near Stanley Nagar. Robotic machines have been deployed at Kodungaiyur, Mambalam and Nungambakkam canals along with another mini amphibian in the Kalu Kuttai Lake, near the Taramani railway station.