CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has intensified mass cleaning drive during the night time to remove garbage and debris dumped on the road and footpaths, and eateries encroaching footpaths. In the last two days, 588.28 metric tonnes of waste was removed in four zones in three regions.
The drive was undertaken after Corporation Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran instructed the zonal-level authorities to carry out mass cleaning along the bus route roads and footpaths to ensure uninterrupted service for the public.
On Monday and Tuesday, the civic body removed garbage, debris, illegally parked vehicles, eateries, tree branches, electric wires on the road and footpaths at 30 places in Tondiarpet (zone 4), Anna Nagar zone (zone 8), Adyar (zone 13) and Perungudi zone (zone 14).
"We have already been removing waste and abandoned vehicles on both roads and footpaths across the city. Now, the drive has been intensified and it has been done in a phased manner. At present, we are focusing on four zones in three regions with adequate manpower and equipment. After clearing the garbage and vehicles, regular monitoring will also be done hereafter," said a senior GCC official.
According to GCC data, the workers removed 464.67 metric tonnes of debris and 123.61 metric tonnes of garbage from four zones. From Adyar and Tondiarpet zones (11 places each), 207.93 MT and 101.38 MT debris were removed in the last two days.
As many as 691 sanitary workers and vehicle helpers were involved in the drive during the night time.
Officials said 252 pieces of machinery were deployed, including battery-operated vehicles, compactors, bob cat, mechanical sweepers, and tippers, to clean the garbage and debris dumped on the footpaths and bus route roads.