70% of underground drainage work in Tiruchi completed, project will be over by June

70% of underground drainage work in Tiruchi completed, project will be over by June

Around 70% of the underground drainage (UGD) work in Tiruchi has been completed, and the remaining works will be over by June, said Mayor M. Anbazhagan at the Corporation Council meeting here on Thursday.

The Mayor informed councillors that ₹22 crore had been allocated by the Central government additionally for the UGD project and all the pending Smart Cities Mission projects carried out in the city would be completed by June.

Chairing the monthly meeting, Mr. Anbazhagan addressed the councillors’ grievances pertaining to bad roads, roadside encroachments, shortcomings in maintenance of street lights, frequent sewer blockage, non-availability of drinking water and stray dog menace.

The city has about 1,490 km of roads and of this underground drainage project works were under way on about 848 km. “Work on around 650 km have been completed and the remaining work on 198 km will be completed in two months,” Mr. Anbazhagan said

He also assured to convene a meeting on May 2 to discuss the pending work, and the Councillor of Ward 57, T. Muthuselvam, suggested that they hold a meeting with the contractors, Corporation officials and ward councillors with a detailed report on pending works in each ward, which was agreed by many.

In line with the government order that allows outsourcing of solid waste management, the Corporation had called for tenders and the resolution to approve the contract was presented. But a section of the councillors opposed the move, contending that outsourcing of waste management may become ineffective.

“Involving a private party will affect the corporation’s supervising and decision-making powers, and the sanitary workers will also be affected,” said K Suresh, CPI councillor.