Chennai municipality goes slow on stormwater project

The Chennai Municipal Corporation has been slow in implementing the city's stormwater drain network project, which is funded under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Reports suggest that factors like monsoon, sand scarcity, traffic restrictions by police and hindrance caused by shifting of utilities caused the civic body to extend the deadline for completion of the work. The civic body recently extended works on watersheds such as Virugambakkam, Arumbakkam, North Buckingham Canal, Royapuram, Captain Cotton Canal and Velachery. It is learnt that a number of stretches in the network has been completed and work on many roads is yet to be taken up. Work has resumed on some stretches after the monsoon, but residents of many areas are yet to be relieved of the hardship caused by the delay. One side of School Road in Thirumangalam was dug up a year ago for stormwater drain work. The work remains incomplete and the pit is filled with dirty water. Pedestrians and motorists are getting injured during the nights because of the incomplete work, reports indicate. The work in Virugambakkam and Arumbakkam watersheds were proposed to be completed on November 1, 2012. The deadline was earlier extended to January 1, 2013 due to the delay caused by the monsoon.