CHENNAI: A day after a 35-year-old man accidentally fell to death in an under-construction storm water drain (SWD) in Ashok Nagar, GCC Mayor R Priya met press persons on Monday and said this particular SWD work was carried out by the Public Works Department for the Highways Department.
“Anyhow, we have instructed all departments, including the corporation, to ensure that project sites involving road cuts are properly barricaded,” she said.
Priya addressed the press along with HR&CE Minister PK Sekar Babu, who had come to lay the foundation stone for 17 projects, including road works, SWD construction and modern bus shelters, as part of the Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam, worth a total of Rs 6.6 crore.
On Sunday, Iyyapan, a 35-year-old daily wage labourer from Ashok Nagar, who was allegedly in an inebriated state, pushed aside the barricades and green nets that were placed around the SWD. He had been playing with a puppy near the drain’s edge when he accidentally fell into the drain.
During the foundation stone laying event, Minister Sekar Babu condoled the demise of Iyyapan. “Currently, SWD missing link works are underway at 72 locations within the city corporation limits. All departmental officials, MLAs and councillors have been instructed to ensure barricades are placed around construction sites to prevent such incidents,” he said.
The corporation recently announced a ban on road cuts from September 30 onwards, in view of the monsoon. When asked why road and SWD work that involved road cuts were now being initiated by the civic body itself just ahead of monsoon, Sekar Babu said, “Unlike earlier, weather forecast technology has improved. All work will be started based on the rain forecasts. Moreover, the circular banning road cuts mentioned that emergency works could however be carried out.”