Chennai will not experience water stagnation in future: Stalin

CHENNAI: Monsoon water logging and stagnation will be a thing of past in Chennai and the city will not experience water stagnation in the upcoming years, Chief minister M K Stalin said here on Tuesday. The State government has taken up several preventive measures to alleviate water logging, he said exuding confidence that flooding in TN will slowly be addressed.

Addressing a function organised here at the Ripon Buildings, the city civic headquateres to appreciate the civic workers for handling monsoon and covid pandemic the CM said that his government has sustained two situations - Covid-19 pandemic and monsoon season. In 2021, several areas were flooded because the previous government failure to take prevent steps for inundation. However, based on previous experience, we were able to take steps to ensure there was no water logging last year," stated Stalin

Last year, a special committee was formed to inspect the worst-hit places and new stormwater drains were constructed. During the event, he mentioned that new stormwater drains (SWD) are under construction in several places in the city with the financial support from the World Bank, Asian development Bank, and a German international bank.

With financial assistance of Rs. 3,220 crore from the Asian Development Bank, a 769 km stormwater drain is under construction on the river. A total of of a 360 km length stormwater drain is being constructed-of the Kovalam basin with a fund of Rs 714 crore from German International Bank. From the World Bank Rs 120 crore is spent on construction of drains in missing places in the city.

"In the upcoming years, the people of Chennai will witness monsoon seasons without rainwater stagnation and I am pleased to say that the government has been taking new measures to ensure that," said CM about the improvement in stormwater drains over the years.

He also mentioned how the public wholeheartedly appreciated the work and shared pictures on social media that showed the improvement in stormwater management and this appreciation is not just for him but for everyone's effort and work.

Earlier in the day, Stalin distributed appreciation certificates to 586 officials and employees from several departments, including Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai Metro Water Board, and police department. The CM also dined with the sanitary workers and corporation officials intertacting with them about the tough days during pandemic and the monsoon season.

Chennai Mayor R Priya, deputy mayor M Magesh Kumar, GCC Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru, Hindu Religion and Charitable Endowments Minister PK Sekar Babu, council members and senior officials from various departments took part in the event.