Don’t build civic utilities on SWDs, activists urge GCC

CHENNAI: With the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) demolishing a Amma Canteen, which was constructed encroaching upon a storm water drain (SWD) in KK Nagar, activists urge the civic body to stop constructing on the drains as they require frequent reconstruction and desilting.

“Around 20 days ago, the GCC demolished a Amma Canteen in KK Nagar opposite ESI Hospital. The canteen was constructed 7-8 years ago. Demolishing such a structure that was in good condition is waste of public money and resources. It was demolished for SWD construction works,” avers V Gopalakrishnan, an activist in KK Nagar.

The civic body had issued an order to close the canteen in July 2022 and shift the existing staff to other canteens. Gopalakrishnan points out that several civic utilities have been constructed on SWDs across the city. “This is why we keep requesting the civic body not to construct on SWDs,” he laments.

Some Amma Canteens, several public toilets and EB facilities are constructed on the SWDs which are damaged during renovation and desilting of drains.

Meanwhile, some temples constructed on the drains in KK Nagar prevented desilting during the previous year’s monsoon resulting heavy inundation in the locality. The civic body has not been able to remove temple encroachments.