In a bid to prevent overflow of sewage on the roads, residents in various wards have demanded GCC to identify land for construction of sewage pumping stations by CMWSSB, expedite the ongoing work, improve sewage treatment infrastructure and prevent frequent burst of sewer pipelines.

After GCC officials started milling work of Korattur Station Road this week, residents stopped the road relaying work, demanding officials to resolve the issue of overflow of sewage on the road before relaying the road.

AIADMK councillor J.John said the sewage pipeline burst ten times in the past few months on Station Road leading to overflow of sewage. “Residents have requested measures to resolve the issue of sewage pipelines bursting at frequent intervals. The residents want diversion of sewage pumping to Kodungaiyur Treatment Plant instead of Koyambedu Treatment Plant or an improvement in pumping stations. If the GCC relayed the road without resolving the issue, they will have to cut the road again in a few days to resolve the sewage issue,” he said.

MDMK councillor S.Jeevan said the residents have complained about overflow of sewage, causing public health issues for children of Karimedu Colony, First Street, P.V.Colony.  

Residents of ward 55 have complained on social media that the sewage was overflowing on Mangammal Street, polluting the storm water drain of Chennai Corporation.

T.K.Shanmugham, president of the Federation of North Chennai Residents’ Welfare Accociations, said the added zones of north Chennai need more sewage pumping stations and facilities for treatment of sewage and improved septage management.

“We do not have sewage pumping stations in many neighbourhoods in zones such as Madhavaram, Manali, Tiruvottiyur. Under Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam, we are expecting new sewage pumping stations at 80 locations. Residents of north Chennai were invited to visit a new pumping station in Kolathur a few months ago in Venus Nagar in ward 65. It was said to be constructed using better technology from Germany to prevent the characteristic odour of sewage. Residents need better sewage pumping stations and scientific treatment of sewage to prevent pollution of the city,” he said.

Residents have pointed to a delay in construction of sewage pumping stations in areas such as Ayanavaram, Kottivakkam and Vadaperumbakkam, stressing the need for identifying suitable GCC land, for the CMWSSB to construct sewage pumping stations with a reliable technology to prevent pollution of the waterways and take measures to prevent the characteristic odour of the sewage pumping stations in residential areas.