CHENNAI: With the southwest monsoon approaching, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday inspected the monsoon preparedness works across Chennai and urged officials to expedite and complete the stormwater drain construction and desilting operations.
Stalin reviewed the desilting and removal of water hyacinth from a 17.3-km stretch of the Buckingham Canal along Wall Tax Road using a robotic excavator. The project is being undertaken by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and the Water Resources Department (WRD).
In Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, the Chief Minister inspected the progress of a Rs 17.56 crore stormwater drain project at Demellows Road. The drain, which connects the Munnusamy Canal to the Buckingham Canal, aims to prevent flooding in wards 73, 76, and 77, including areas like Angalamman Koil Street, Raja Thottam, and KM Garden.
At Otteri, Stalin inspected the restoration of a 10.3-km stretch of the Otteri Nullah canal. The project involves desilting, bund strengthening, and constructing new retention walls. Notably, one of the two waterways along the nullah remains closed due to ongoing metro rail construction works.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chaired a high-level review meeting on the Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam (VCVT). A total of 238 projects are being implemented under the scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 6,876 crore.
These include the construction of a multi-modal facility at the Broadway bus terminus Rs 822 crore, road improvement works, solid waste management initiatives, and a new super-specialty building at the Government Children’s Hospital in Egmore at Rs 53 crore, among others.
Additionally, 47 projects, worth Rs 774.93 crore, have been opened to the public. These include two sponge parks, seven playfields, and other facilities.