Civic body resumes work on storm water drains in Kovalam basin

CHENNAI: After being stalled for months, the Greater Chennai Corporation resumed the preparatory work to construct storm water drains in Kovalam basin by floating bids to build them in vulnerable areas in Alandur and Perungudi zones. The civic body has been delaying the bidding process for two of the three components of the Kovalam basin storm water drain project in order to modify the original detailed project report (DPR).

“Works for the M1 component of the project will be carried out in most vulnerable spots like Kannan Colony, Nehru Colony, Nanganallur, PV Nagar, Hindu Colony Srinivasa Nagar, Sadasivam Nagar, Ram Nagar, Kubendran Nagar and others in Alandur and Perungudi zones. The works in these areas will be taken at a cost of Rs 150.45 crore,” the Corporation said in a press release.

Under the project, new storm water drains will be constructed in 139 streets for a total length of 27.20 km, while restoration of existing drains will be taken up at 95 streets for a total length of 12.60 km.

The bids have been floated in three packages, and work would start immediately after they are finalised, it said.

The Corporation had entered into an agreement with the German Development Bank (KfW) in March 2020 to receive a fund of Rs 1,714 crore for constructing drains in Kovalam basin that covers most of the coastal areas in the southern part of the city. The basin was segregated into M1, M2, and M3 components, and the German bank had prepared DPRs.

However, though DPRs for all three components were prepared before the funds were sanctioned, the civic body delayed floating bids for M1 and M2 components, as some of the proposed drains required land acquisition. Recently, the civic body revised the DPR.

Civic works for M3 component were started, but only to be stopped by a stay issued by NGT. The Coastal Regulation Zone Authority, too, had issued a stopwork notice a few months ago.