A view of Kottai Vaikal on Old Karur Road in Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY
Ahead of the onset of the northeast monsoon, Tiruchi Corporation is set to launch a major desilting drive covering around 226 km of major channels and storm-water drains across the city to prevent waterlogging.Flood-prone and low-lying areas across all five zones have been identified and prioritised for the desilting works. Major channels in Cholarajapuram, Rajarajan Nagar, Major Saravanan Road, Rettai Vaikkal and Kottai Vaikkal are among those included in the drive.According to sources, the civic body has planned to desilt 31 major drains covering 116 km and 21 major channels extending to about 110 km. A sum of ₹3.5 crore has been sanctioned for the works, and the Corporation has floated a tender for undertaking the desilting of the channels.The desilting work is expected to commence within a week, and the Corporation aims to complete it by the end of this month. Machinery and excavators will be deployed to remove accumulated silt and overgrown weeds from wider channels.“Officials would be instructed to regularly monitor and expedite the desilting to complete it before the monsoon. Low-lying areas, which were prone to water inundation, would be prioritised,” said Veer Pratap Singh, Corporation Commissioner.In addition, manual cleaning is being carried out in smaller drains, particularly those located in residential areas. Of the 1,420 km of roads maintained by the civic body, storm-water drains extend to about 800 km.Around 20 km of drains are being cleared every day, with accumulated silt in narrow drains being removed manually. About 600 contract sanitation workers and 450 permanent workers have been deployed for the desilting and cleaning drive, a senior official said. Published - September 08, 2026 06:55 pm IST
