The Chennai Corporation is set to receive a detailed project report (DPR) for a massive project to construct storm water drains across the extended areas. The report, which is expected to chalk out a `2,500 crore project, is expected to be presented to the Corporation Commissioner and Mayor in two weeks’ time. The DPR is expected to be a key addition to storm water drain construction works that are currently underway in core areas across the city.
Corporation officials have expressed confidence that they would meet the October 15 deadline for the completion of this tranche of works, despite the loss of a few days due to the recent spell of rains.
“There isn’t much too much of a disruption. We have altered the work schedules to accommodate those lost days. We will be able to make up for the delay. But a precise picture of the backlog will emerge at a later stage,” said an official. The storm water drain construction works that are currently underway in many parts of the city are part of the consolidated plan to improve the network. This includes projects approved between 2009-10 and 2012-13. In total, this involves 1,203 works aimed at adding 533 km of drains to the city’s storm water drain network. While 428 works, measuring 162 km, have been completed, construction is underway on 106 km of drains spread across 185 works.
Sources say orders have been issued to rush ahead with the completion of the works that have been started before the commencement of the rainy season. Once the October 15 deadline has been met, the rest of the works are expected to be taken up at the end of January, with an aim to complete the whole project by June.
“We are rushing towards the deadline. There has been definite improvement in the storm water drain network from what it was earlier this year. In situ fabrication and concreting are on in full swing,” Corporation Commissioner D Karthikeyan told City Express.
City Express had earlier reported that work was underway on preparing the DPR for the `2,500 crore project, for which the Corporation would have to rely on funding from the second phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM-II). A clearer picture of this mammoth project may be expected to emerge shortly.
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