CHENNAI: Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar on Saturday directed officials to complete the ongoing northeast monsoon-preparedness works in Chennai by September 30 and asked the Greater Chennai Corporation, Water Resources Department, Highways Department, CMRL and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board to coordinate and expedite the work before the deadline.
The directions were issued during his inspection of stormwater drain, canal improvement and water-hyacinth removal works in the Adyar, Perungudi and Sholinganallur zones.
In Adyar zone, Sai Kumar inspected a Rs 13.52-crore stormwater drain being constructed near TIDEL Park to carry rainwater from the IIT area to Buckingham Canal.
In Perungudi’s ward 188, he reviewed canal improvement works at Mylai Balaji Nagar. A 235-m-long and 13-m-wide stretch in 1st block is being renovated at Rs 6.48 crore, while work on a 207-m-long and 14.40-m-wide stretch in 4th block has been taken up at Rs 8.68 crore. He also inspected the removal of water-hyacinth at Narayanapuram lake in Ward 189.
In Sholinganallur, the chief secretary inspected a Rs 73-crore Highways Department stormwater drain project at Thoraipakkam on OMR in Ward 193, where CMRL works are also under way. The drain is intended to carry water from Pallikaranai marshland to Buckingham Canal.