Rain abates in Chennai, civic workers start cleaning silt catch pits on 1,468 arterial roads – The Hindu

With the reduction in rainfall on Saturday in Greater Chennai Corporation limits, workers start cleaning silt catch pits along many busy roads. The average rainfall in the city during the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m. on Saturday ranged from 34 mm to 82 mm in many zones of the Corporation. Many zones recorded less than 30 mm of rain on Saturday.

However, areas such as Adyar, Maduravoyal, Alandur, Meenambakkam and Mugalivakkam recorded more than 70 mm rain in the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m. on Saturday and continued to receive more rain during the day. Showers lashed the neighbourhoods of major arterial roads such as Anna Salai on Friday evening.

In a bid to prevent traffic congestion because of waterlogging during the rain, the Corporation started clearing 23,093 silt catch pits along 1,400 important roads.

Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi has directed officials to clear all silt catch pits in the next five days. Of the 23,093 silt catch pits identified along the 1,468 arterial roads in 15 zones of the city, 19,693 were cleared before November 8 ahead of this spell of rain. As many as 3,400 silt catch pits have not been cleared in the city, causing disruption of traffic because of waterlogging in some roads. As many as 1,290 workers will start cleaning the silt catch pits next week during the dry spell, the officials said.

“On Saturday, there was rain in the morning. The Corporation posted the staff in the night itself. None of the subways got affected. water inundation was avoided,” said an official. 

On Saturday, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian inspected Masoodi Street in Velachery, which used to be a flood-prone area. “Because of the construction of a new drain under Singara Chennai scheme, the water did not stagnate there,” the officials said. 

On Saturday, Adyar and Velachery areas registered 8 cm of rain, but water stagnation was not reported in most of the flood-prone areas where storm-water drain construction had been taken up. 

Officials led by Minister K.N. Nehru visited Rajamannar Salai where water stagnation was not reported on Saturday owing to the construction of new storm-water drains.

Residents in AGR Gardens in Mettukuppam, Mugalivakkam, in Alandur zone of the Corporation, complained that water stagnation had been more during this spell of rains. “We will find a localised solution for flooding in such areas,” said an official.