Chennai Corporation spends Rs 5K crore on stormwater drains over four years; 74% work completed

CHENNAI: While multiple figures claiming to be the state governments expenditure on stormwater drains do the rounds on social media, Chennai Corporation has spent Rs 5,201 crore to lay drains covering a length of 1,144.5 km in the last four years, as per the civic bodys estimates accessed by TNIE . Of this, 845.43 km (74%) was completed by July end. While the effectiveness of these drains remains to be seen, corporation officials said that of the 87 locations that were identified as being flood-prone after the monsoon last year, 85 are no longer in the critical danger zone. The identified locations are no longer under threat of flooding. However, minor stagnation might still occur in a few streets where work could not be taken up. To address this, motor pumps have been kept ready, an official from the stormwater drain (SWD) department said. Only two sites remain incomplete - along the World Trade Centre stretch and the Kathanchavadi Junction on MGR Salai in Perungudi. These are part of long term projects, the official added. The city corporation began constructing stormwater drains under various schemes including Singara Chennai 2.0, infrastructure amenities fund, flood relief fund, and the state disaster mitigation fund, among others. Additionally, it has taken up the Integrated Storm Water Drains (ISWD) projects with external funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the German Development Bank (KfW). Apart from these, extensive SWD works are also being carried out through the civic bodys own capital funds and under the Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam. Using the ADB funds, the city corporation had taken up the Kosasthalaiyar Basin ISWD project, which began in 2022 following a loan agreement signed in October 2021 and a grant agreement signed in August 2022. The project aimed to address the long-standing need for stormwater drains in North Chennai, with the primary objective of mitigating floods during the monsoon. It involves the construction of 641 km of ISWD in the Kosasthalaiyar basin at an estimated cost of Rs 3,059 crore. A corporation official from the storm water drain department said that, as of July, 96% of this project had been completed - covering 611.94 km out of total 641 km - with the remaining portions expected to be completed by December 2025. Upon completion, the project is expected to benefit about 30 lakh residents in Ambattur, Manali, Madhavaram, and Thiruvottiyur zones. In South Chennai, construction of ISWD in the Kovalam Basin has been taken up in three phases, funded by the German Development Bank (KfW) at an estimated cost of Rs 1,357.6 crore, covering a total length of 298.5 km. The KfW loan agreement was signed in March 2020, and though the work faced initial delays, it began in 2023. In the first phase, ISWD work covering 40.5 km at a cost of Rs 150.45 crore has been completed. In Phase 2, work covering 118 km at a cost of Rs 447 crore has achieved 93% progress, while in Phase 3, work on 140.1 km at a cost of Rs 760.1 crore has reached 27% completion. Once completed, the project will benefit 20 lakh residents in Perungudi, Sholinganallur, and Alandur. Under the Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam, the state governments scheme to address infrastructure gaps in North Chennai, 95.2% - 5.51 km of the total 5.79 km of stormwater drain work - worth Rs 23.8 crore has been completed, as per GCC. Similarly, SWD projects have also been implemented under the GCCs capital fund covering a length of 199.2 km at a cost of Rs 760.7 crore, divided into five phases. Under canal development and desilting works covering 69.8 km across 44 GCC canals, 7.3 km had been completed till July with work on 47.4 km ongoing, while it is yet begin on 17.5km. These works, funded through ADB, KfW, and special and capital allocations, are estimated to cost Rs 302.38 crore.