Chennai Buzz: Stormwater drain maintenance | Coming soon – water from Jolarpet | T Nagar makeover

A quick recap of some important news from last week that's likely to hold significant implications for life in the city

Private contractors roped in to maintain stormwater drains

Amidst complaints against the maintenance of stormwater drains before the monsoon, Chennai Corporation is all set to privatise the maintenance work for these. The contract, expected to be implemented within a year, will see private contractors clean the drains periodically, create awareness and ensure that leaks are plugged. The Corporation Commissioner said that the contract will not only regularise cleaning but also ensure that illegalities are removed. The total length of stormwater drains in the city is 1894 km.

Source: The Times of India

City to get water from Jolarpet from July 10

The staff, officials, and contract workers of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and Railways are working 24×7 across three shifts from Arakkonam to Tirupattur, to meet the deadline of bringing water from Jolarpet.

TWAD Board officials said that the work was divided into four parts, readying pumping mains, electrical works to pump water from pumping mains to water sumps near Jolarpet railway yard, laying pipelines of over 3.5 km in length, and loading water wagons at Jolarpet.

The 3.5-km long pipeline laying work will be completed in three stretches simultaneously.

Source: The Hindu

Metro Railcard will double up for shopping too

Chennai Metro’s smart card can soon be used to shop at retail outlets and malls. Inaugurating the use of smart card facility at the Metro parking lot, Minister for Industries M C Sampath made this announcement.

Pankaj Kumar Bansal, managing director of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), said that using the smart card for making payments at parking lots will save time for commuters in a big way, and this facility will be extended to all stations in 10-15 days. The Washermanpet Wimco Nagar stretch is expected to open next year.

Source: The Hindu

T Nagar bus stand to become a swanky complex

As part of the smart city project and as part of a proposal to develop all old depots located in low-lying areas of the city, T Nagar depot will be developed into a full-fledged commercial complex and will also serve as a parking lot. The depot sprawling over one acre and 97 cents would be developed as a multi-storied building, with parking for buses, cars and a commercial complex. Besides T Nagar, 16 more depots in the city have been identified for similar development.

Meanwhile, MTC has increased bus connectivity to southern suburbs. Of the 100 new buses, 40 buses will ply in Tambaram, Chengelpet, the IT corridor along OMR connecting them with other parts of the city.

Source: The New Indian Express | The Times of India

[Compiled by Sandhya Raju]

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