100 flood hot spots mapped by the corporation of Chennai now
Posted on: 17/Sep/2019 10:22:46 AM
Residents of Chennai would not have forgotten the 2015 floods that destroyed the Chennai city. The latest news is Chennai Corporation has identified moiré than 100 hot spots in Chennai that are vulnerable to flooding and to make sure that the preparedness is complete and coordinated efforts would be made with other service agencies.
Information collected is most of the identified hotspots are near the canals that were heavily flooded in 2015 deluge. For de-silting and for clearing water hyacinth present in as many as 30 canals maintained by Chennai Corporation, robotic excavators and amphibian vehicles have already been pressed into service.
Recently, monsoon preparedness meeting took place at Ripon Buildings and the meeting saw the presence of representatives belonging to PWD, CMWSSB, Highways, Tangedco, CMRL, southern railways, and other departments. In the meeting the representatives discussed the potential flooding zones in Chennai.
According to an official, to keep an eye on inundation in subways prone to flooding, special teams would be formed. He spoke about how additional motor pumps would be used at subways to pump out water present at the subways. He concluded that all subways would have at least 3 motor pumps. To assess rainwater harvesting structures or RWH in areas under their maintenance and to de-silt culverts maintained by them, corporation has also advised state and NHAI and southern railways. As many as 32 box culverts, 84 slab culverts and 16 rail under bridges and 6 pedestrian subways are being maintained by the civic body are known.
A senior corporation official later explained about how discussions have been held with departments like TNHB, TNSCB, and BSNL to provide RWH structures in housing societies and staff quarters and ensure they provide for systems to direct rainwater to the integrated stormwater drain system. It is worthy to mention that CMRL has been advised to keep the motor pumps handy in project zones that are vulnerable to flooding in case of heavy rains. On many roads present in the Chennai city, de-silting work has been underway on a war footing in the 8725 stormwater drainage structures.
The information is assistant engineers of each zone have been directed to review the work in person and update officials at the headquarters. For the purpose of speeding the de-silting work, regional deputy commissioners have been asked to float emergency tenders. Officials later mentioned how silt from the drains would be transported to designated landfills at Perungudi and Kodungaiyur.
