Damaged pipelines, dug-up roads leave Arumbakkam residents struggling
Arumbakkam is one of the city's low-lying areas prone to flooding during monsoon. 'It is a welcome initiative to improve the stormwater drain network to reduce waterlogging in the area. Many streets in Arumbakkam remain under sheets of water even after brief spells of rain.But the slow pace of work of SWD has been a huge inconvenience to residents. A motorist slipped and fell into the trench earlier this week,' said K.Chandran, treasurer, Kannappa Nagar, Venkatakrishna Nagar Residents Welfare Association.
The work to upgrade the existing SWD network started nearly two months ago. However the residents say, the sluggish progress has disrupted daily life.
In the meantime, rainwater from nearby roads is drainingin to low- lying streets like Indira Gandhi Street. V.P.S.Elumalai, a resident of Indira Gandhi Street, said sewage has filled the trenches dug for the SWD, overflowing onto the remaining narrow stretch of the road, making it difficult to pass through.
Several other streets, including Venkatakrishna Nagar first to fourth streets, Duraipillai Street, Sri Sakthi Nagar, are facing similar issues with sewage stagnating in trenches.
Residents also warned that sewage stagnation in the trenches posed health risks and stressed the need to complete the work before Northeast Monsoon sets in.
Officials from Chennai Metrowater said the agency was coordinating with the Greater Chennai Corporation to carry out and complete the SWD construction soon. They acknowledged that in some cases, water and sewer pipelines had been damaged during digging, and added steps were being immediately to pump out stagnant sewage and carry out repairs.
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