Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation is racing to complete key stormwater drain projects, including a new 660m-long drain that will carry rainwater from IIT Madras, Guindy National Park and Raj Bhavan to south Buckingham Canal, within the next 20 days.The project is intended to improve drainage across about 102ha around Raj Bhavan, 250ha at IIT Madras and 125ha of forest area. An existing 350m lined drain inside IIT Madras will be connected to a double-vent, cut-and-cover stormwater drain leading to south Buckingham Canal.The project has been divided into two packages, said GCC commissioner G S Sameeran. “In the first package, 40m of work remains. Top slab concreting work is underway, and will be completed in 10 days,” he said. The second package will take another 20 days. “It’s highly complex because we have to cross Old Mahabalipuram Road, which is also the entry point for Chennai Metro Rail Limited’s underground station tunnel boring machine,” Sameeran said.A 90m stretch is yet to be built to connect the drain to south Buckingham Canal. The commissioner said work on the first 45m would be completed in 15 days. “Since work in OMR can be carried out only at night, it is causing a delay,” he said.Another major stormwater project is under way to divert excess water from the Arasankazhani canal to south Buckingham Canal and reduce pressure on Okkiyam Maduvu. This work too is expected to be completed within the next 20 days, Sameeran said.Last month, chief secretary M Sai Kumar directed all departments to complete northeast monsoon preparedness work by Sept 30.
