Councillors, residents frustrated over delays in SWD works in Chennai
Ward 84 Councillor J John, AIADMK, alleged, “SWD works started a year ago on Vanniyar Street, Brahmin Street, and 25 streets in the Housing Board colony, but since then, progress has been minimal.”
A barricade that fell into an incomplete SWD in Balaji Nagar 2nd Street, Ranga Reddy Gardens, Neelankarai
CHENNAI: With the monsoon season fast approaching, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has been hustling to expedite the construction of storm water drains under various initiatives. However, several ward councillors raised significant concerns over contractors’ slow pace of works, and lamented about the project’s timely completion.
In the northern region, Ward 4 Councillor R Jayaraman, CPM, stated, “The SWD work on Manali Express Road has been ongoing for a year, yet crucial tasks remain incomplete. Also, road repair projects in Jaihind Nagar are still pending. In Shanmugapuram, the newly laid road hasn’t passed quality checks, and GCC officials have been absent from the site.”
Elaborating on the situation, Ward 61 Councillor Fathima Muzaffer Ahmed, Indian Union Muslim League, remarked, “In my ward, Velayutha Chetty, Ayya Samy Street, Samy Street, and Perumal Koil Streets are low-lying areas. Work remains unfinished on two streets, and has yet to commence on the other two.”
Ward 84 Councillor J John, AIADMK, alleged, “SWD works started a year ago on Vanniyar Street, Brahmin Street, and 25 streets in the Housing Board colony, but since then, progress has been minimal.”
Concurring with all this was S Gomathi Nayagam, secretary of the Federation of Neelankarai Welfare Associations, who added: “SWD works have been incomplete due to the lack of shifting of the EB feeder box, which, in turn, has been pending for nearly six months. TNPDCL officials claimed that contractors have failed to pay the charges for the transfer of feeder boxes.”
K Murugan, a resident of Ezhil Nagar, pointed to the SWD works that have been going on for nearly three months. “Despite several complaints to the officials and ward councillor, nothing has changed,” he rued. “The roads have been dug up for nearly three months due to the delay in the installation of sewage pipelines.”
In the southern part of the city, Ward 198 Councillor in Semmencheri G Shankar, explained that half the works have been completed in his ward. “However, workers damaged drinking water and sewer pipelines. The remaining tasks are now complete in the TNHB colony and Swami Nagar in Shollinganallur,” he pointed out.
According to recently released data from the GCC, ongoing SWD works are steadily progressing across the city, which is crucial for flood mitigation efforts. The integrated SWD projects, funded through banking resources in both north and south Chennai, are nearing completion.
For the SWD works initiated under capital funds for 2025-2026, out of 201.9 km of roads, 64.92 km are completed, translating to 36% progress. Meanwhile, in south Chennai, 209.50 km have been finished out of a total of 303.30 km.
A senior Corporation official told DT Next that they would extend road cut permission to October 15. “We’re working diligently to complete as much as we can before the monsoon hits. After the monsoon, we’ll kick-start the remaining works, with motors and machines on standby for flood relief efforts,” he explained.
