CHENNAI: Motorists plying via the arterial Tambaram-Velachery Road, Mudichur and Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Road can now heave a sigh of relief. The State Highways Department is undertaking monsoon measures to prevent stagnation of water along important stretches within its limits.
“A total of 18 locations have been chosen for provision of additional vents to the existing culverts. The project is being implemented at a cost of Rs 9 crore,” said a senior official from the State Highways Department.
Culvert is an opening for water to flow through so that it does not flood or wash away the road structure. It reduces the buildup of standing water. Additional vents would mean more space for waterflow, so this will ensure that water quickly recedes from the pathway.
The locations chosen include one each in Mudichur, Eechangadu and Sholinganallur, three each in Tambaram-Velachery Road and Sithalapakkam and the rest along Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Road.
Mudichur is known to be one of the worst hit areas during monsoon, each year. Last year, the State Highways department broke the median and then some parts of the Mudichur Main Road for the water to flow out of the area.
In 2015, due to choked culverts stagnated water rose two feet over the median in Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Road making the arterial stretch unusable.“Most of the culverts in the area were built at least 15 years ago. Over the years, silt and plastic got accumulated blocking the rainwater from entering the culverts. We are replacing the damaged old pipes,” said the official adding that 30 per cent of the work has been completed.
The workmen at the site said the work will be completed before December, depending on the rains. “We only can’t construct a slab or raft when it rains. Even if it rains when the work is being done, water will be drained through the existing culverts. The new ones under construction are relatively wider.”
