Pallavaram floats in sewage as ₹102-cr drainage project lies buried

With monsoon round the corner, residents renew their demand for a permanent solution

- KUMARESAN S@Chennai

RESIDENTS of Pallavaram are grappling with streets overflowing with sewage and waste water reversing into homes, even as the proposal to overhaul the crumbling underground drainage (UGD) system submitted three years back gathers dust. With the northeast monsoon round the corner, residents have renewed their demand for a permanent solution to the issue affecting the area for years.

The UGD network, commissioned between 2006 and 2011 at a cost of ₹37 crore, was built using ductile iron (DI) pipes for the main lines and stoneware pipes for collection lines. Sources said the DI pipes, which have a lifespan of about 10 years, have now far exceeded their durability, leading to extensive corrosion and leakage. As a result, sewage is reportedly seeping underground and contaminating borewells and groundwater, causing foulsmelling tap water and frequent complaints from residents.