Senior citizen falls into storm water pit near Madras HC

CHENNAI: Unbarricaded, dug-up pits in the city continued to pose harm to pedestrians and motorists. On Tuesday, a senior citizen fell inside an open trench meant for storm water drain on Esplanade Road near the Madras high court.
The man escaped with mild bruises after he slid into the pit, missing the protruding iron bars. He was pulled out by passersby.The incident came to light only after photographs and video clippings of the fall were circulated on social media groups.
Advocate M Velmurugan, who is also a member of Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, said the storm water drain construction on this stretch was going on for a month.
"Advocates, pedestrians and motorists use this stretch in large numbers. It is also a major approach road to the high court. These dangerous pits are causing immese hardship to people," he said.
Velmurugan said he had raised the issue with local corporation officials but all they did was place a barricade near the pit. "As for the construction part, no progress has happened," he said.
The stretch comes under the Royapuram zone where work under three storm water drain projects (14 kilometres) is underway. In Royapuram, 70% of the work has been completed under 'Singara Chennai 2.0' while 64%work has been completed under the floor relief fund. However, only 34.5% of the work under the state disaster management fund has been completed. with the deadline being September 15.
Zonal officer G Tamilselvan said the stretch had Tangedco and internet underline utilities connecting to essential places such as secretariat, high court and the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.
"Recently, a 110kv electric line was damaged during the SWD work here and we were asked to stop the work. We are unable to expedite the drain work here as we are forced to tread carefully," he said. Officials said the work has to be done carefully so as not to damage any sewage line.
R Ramesh, a civic activist, said the corporation has dug up major parts of Rajaji Salai stretch too. "They surrounded the work spot with a green cloth instead of proper barricades. It makes little sense as there are no reflectors that can warn vehicles or people," he said.