COIMBATORE: In a first in the district, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) is constructing eco-friendly and smart storm water infiltration drains and rainwater harvesting system at Race Course, which is a model road developed under the Smart City Project.
The civic body is employing German technology Graf wherein "reused" poly propylene material replace conventional concrete-based Storm Water Drains (SWD). Besides, storm water infiltration tanks and other rainwater harvesting structures are set up using eco-friendly materials and methods, sources said. The works are carried out by Stone Hand, a Chennai-based company that specialises in rainwater harvesting structures and solutions.
Prabhakaran, project manager of Smart SWD project, said, "Graf technology is increasingly replacing concrete based storm water drains. This method will increase groundwater recharge and reduce urban flooding at 15 - 20% less cost. The design will not allow sewage and it will act as a filter layer", adding that the structure can withstand load loads up to 60 tonnes.
"Low lying areas where water gets stagnated frequently were identified in the 2.6 km Race Course Road, smart storm water infiltration drains are being installed for a total of 900 metres. The depth of the drain is steadily increased by 1 mm every 30 metres from the starting point to create a gradient (slope) for the faster flow of water. Apart from that, around 100 eco-bloc rainwater harvesting infiltration tanks will be installed every 15 metres. The work will be completed in a couple of weeks," he concluded.
Sources said this is the first of a kind project in the city. While the smart storm water infiltration drains for 900 metres are built at a cost of around ₹1.4 crore, the Eco Bloc Rainwater Harvesting Infiltration Tanks are being installed at a cost of ₹70,000 for a single tank.
CCMC Commissioner M Prathap would inspect the works on Thursday or Friday and will take a call on expanding the project to other parts of the city, sources added.