Tiruchi Corporation to construct new storm water drains

Tiruchi Corporation has planned to undertake the construction and maintenance of new and existing storm water drains in major areas in the city.

The Corporation, in its Budget last year, announced the construction of storm water drains for a length of 52 km in all 65 wards in the city at a cost of ₹32.50 crore under the Corporation’s General Funds 2024-25. Each ward had been allocated ₹50 lakh for the project.

The drains will have filters to prevent solid waste from entering the canals and will be covered with reinforced cement concrete (RCC) slabs, which would serve as a safe pedestrian platform.

As part of the project, the construction of new storm water drains in Kooni Bazaar Main Road falling under Ward 51, Heber Road in Ward 53, JK Nagar in Ward 61, Rajaram Salai in Ward 64, Harihar Vetri Nagar and neighbour streets in Ward 65 is to be taken up at ₹35 lakh each.

In Marsinghpettai Main Road, falling under ward 52, the existing drains have been faulty, and the damaged slabs pose difficulties for road users. As a solution, storm water drains with RCC slabs will be constructed at a cost of ₹59.40 lakh.

Similarly, work on new drains near Othakadai in Ward 53 at ₹9.65 lakh, State Bank Colony in Ward 57 at ₹940 lakh., Krishnankovil Street and Reddy Street in Ward 51 at ₹8.45 lakh and Vasantha Nagar in Ward 56 at ₹4.90 lakh would be taken up soon.

Identifying streets, especially in residential areas, where storm water drains are absent or damaged and uncovered is underway. Junior engineers in all five zones had been instructed to identify areas without storm water drains in their division.

“Tenders would be called for this month for the construction of new storm water drains and repair of faulty ones,” said a senior Corporation official. The project to construct drains in all 65 wards, especially low-lying areas, is expected to be completed before the monsoon season to prevent water stagnation.

Officials added that renovation of the existing drain network was taken up and that the open drains would be covered gradually with portable RCC slabs, and the damaged slabs would also be replaced in a phased manner.