Chennai Corporation officials to meet ECR residents – The Hindu

The Greater Chennai Corporation will soon convene a meeting of residents living along the East Coast Road (ECR) to explain the details of the integrated stormwater drain (SWD) project from Kottivakkam to Uthandi.

Officials of the civic body said the project was aimed at preventing flooding in localities and that they had also incorporated rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures to ensure recharge of groundwater.

RWH systems

Retention ponds would be created in parks along with 171 RWH wells on road margins and 22,450 RWH pits, explained an official.

Residents have been carrying out agitations against the SWD project. V. Suresh, of Kapaleeswarar Nagar, said the land on the eastern side of the ECR was sandy and did not require any artificial SWD system to carry rainwater.

‘Project not needed’

“This underground aquifer extends from Valmiki Nagar to Uthandi and it absorbs water like a sponge,” he said.

Sushma Erevelles, another resident, said residents from 38 colonies had come together to stop the civic body from implementing the project.

“Floods have never occurred on this side of the ECR, even during the 2015 deluge. The stormwater drain system will only end up becoming a glorified sewage carrier, which we do not want,” she said.