CHENNAI: Residents of Tiruvallur and daily commuters have raised serious concerns about the discharge of untreated sewage from the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), which has stagnated near Platform 6 of the Tiruvallur railway station.

This poses a severe health hazard to thousands of people living in the vicinity.

K Baskar, joint secretary of the Manavalanagar Residents Welfare Association, pointed out that the Tiruvallur railway station was a major suburban terminus on the western line, serving nearly 1.5 lakh passengers daily who commute to Chennai.

“Around 26 express trains and 180 suburban trains stop here. Diverting untreated wastewater through the Road 1 culvert near platform 6 is highly condemnable,” he added. “Previously, this sewage mixed into Putlur Lake near Putlur station.”

Echoing similar concerns, Anthan Krishnan, a resident of Manavalanagar, urged urgent intervention, saying, “To avert a health crisis, the railway administration must immediately liaise with municipal officials to restore a clean and healthy atmosphere around the station.”

Refuting the allegations, Tiruvallur Municipality Chairman P Udhayamalar Pandian stated, “The claims regarding untreated sewage discharge are false. Treated water is not being diverted near the railway tracks. It’s routed to the Putlur Check Dam 3 km away, from where it reaches the Cooum River. Any water near the tracks is merely natural run-off caused by the terrain.”

A senior municipal official stated that the construction of a new STP was underway adjacent to the existing facility.

"Nearly 80% of the work is complete, and the remaining works will be finished within a month. Once it becomes operational, fully treated water will be discharged directly into the Putlur check dam and into the Cooum,” he stated. “Previously, treated water was released into the Cooum River via the Putlur check dam. However, following public opposition, it was redirected to Putlur lake.”