`464 cr for side drains construction

Vijayawada: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation has formulated an action plan to construct 440 km side drains at a cost of Rs 464 crore to ensure free flow of drain as well as storm waters.

The existing side drains in some areas are very narrow and in some areas posing a threat to the lives of residents particularly children. Nearly 25 persons mostly children died falling into side drains in the past 15 years. The construction of modern drains with covers and grills may prevent such mishaps in the city.

Recently, a body of unidentified person was found in a side drain near Benz Circle last month. Another body was found in a similar manner in a drain at Krishnaveni road in Patamata.

A student slipped into another side drain while attending to nature’s call in the same area. However, he was saved. Open drain channels in Bhavanipuram, Chreesthurajapuram, Pantakaluva, Kandrika areas, K L Rao Nagar and other areas proved to be hazardous.

Due to the collective efforts made by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and Union government of construction as well as widening of roads, the water stagnation problem will be ended.

Similarly, measures will be taken to cover the side drains with slabs as well as iron mesh to prevent accidents particularly falling of children and adults in the side drains.

The Central government sanctioned and released the funds for the construction as well as widening of existing side drains as part of the storm water management scheme being implemented at national-level. Vijayawada and Guntur were selected for the national project.

As part of the project works, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation officials divided the city into seven drainage basins and constructing side drains nearly 440 km in all divisions at a cost of Rs 464 crore.

The L&T has started side drain works in third and fifth drainage basins at Patamata and Ajith Singh Nagar so far and it would complete the 440 km side drains works by September 2019.

Mayor Koneru Sreedhar said that Vijayawada Municipal Corporation public health department officials were preparing a plan of action for building of side drains in all the divisions to prevent overflow of drainage in the rainy session.

“The side drains works have been started in the Central constituency and East constituency by the contractor and city corporators should inform the public health department officials regarding dangerous open drains for covering with cement slabs and iron grills to save the lives of local residents.

Thirty seven division corporator Gade Adi Lakshmi alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was focusing only on entertainment events, including Air and Navy shows, rather than the development activities in the the city.

“The people in all the divisions were unable to walk on main roads in rainy season due to overflow of drainage water and felt that the corporation officials should cover all areas of the city for the side drains widening and modernisation works,” he suggested.