Desilting of major drains in Trichy near completion

Trichy: Trichy corporation has intensified the desilting of major drains and drainage channels, ahead of the northeast monsoon which accounts for about 48% of the city's annual rainfall. The local body has already completed 90% of the work, and is planning to complete the remaining work within this month.Corporation officials said that a sum of 13.5 lakh and 15.8 lakh have been sanctioned for desilting and strengthening 1.7km-long Fort channel and 2.8km-long Rettaivaikkal channel. "Both channels are crucial for draining the surplus rainwater from low-lying areas near Melachinthamani, Devathanam, Chathiram bus stand, and Sanjeevi Nagar. Heavy machinery is being used to remove the silt and waste blocking the wastewater flow," an official said. Corporation said that the city has a total drain network of 204km in length. The width of each drain varies between 0.7m to 9.5m. Desilting work in the entire network is being taken up in a phased manner. While heavy machinery is engaged in cleaning and removing the aquatic weeds on major channels, manual cleaning is opted to remove silt accumulation from the narrow drains. Meanwhile, residents have expressed concern about the bad shape of stormwater drains running parallel to roads in Anna Nagar in Thennur, Sastri Road, and Cantonment. The concrete slabs are broken at multiple places, resulting in waste clogging the flow of wastewater in these areas. Corporation said that a special team of permanent sanitary workers will be assigned for each of the five zones to remove the silt from minor drains.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.