Amid growing resentment among residents and motorists on battered stretches where pipelines were laid for on-going ₹ 1,000 crore Underground Drainage (UGD) work under Smart Cities Mission but not have been re-laid since then, Vellore Corporation has said that 92 per cent of new drainage work has been completed, paving way for re-laying of damaged stretches in coming weeks.

Corporation Commissioner R. Lakshmanan told The Hindu that completion of ongoing pipeline-carrying bridge across Palar river, pipe-laying work in at least five streets in Old Town area, and construction of a new pumping station at Vasanthapuram behind the fort complex are remaining works as part of the UGD system. “Key stretches are being re-laid after milling. The new UGD system will be ready for operation from January 2026 when the Corporation will begin providing household connections to consumers,” he said.

Corporation officials said that the pipe-carrying bridge, which is 650 metres long, along Palar river, which is maintained by WRD, will carry household sewerage from 32 wards, mostly from Old Town areas to the newly built STP at Viruthampattu near Katpadi. The bridge is being built at a height of 20 feet from riverbed to prevent inundation during monsoon. The new STP has a capacity of 50MLD.

The multi-crore project, which was rolled out in 2019 especially from its phase – II work onwards, comprises main sewer lines, pumping and lifting stations, and sewage treatment plants, covering all 60 wards that has around eight lakh residents within civic body limits.

Divided into four phases, the project covers 750 kms of sewer lines, 16 pumping and lifting stations and two large STPs. Tricky spots like 32 kms on the service lane of Chennai – Bengaluru Highway (NH 48), 16 railway crossing spots, State Highway stretches (7 kms) have been completed. “The civic body has roughly levelled the damaged portion of Old Bangalore Road near Green Circle after pipeline work. Motorists have been risking themselves in using the stretch especially during night due to its unevenness,” said K. Gomathi, a motorist.

Reacting to damaged roads, Mr. Lakshmanan said that pipelines between Green Circle junction and National Theatre, a distance of around 750 metres, on Old Bangalore Road, were laid between 11 p.m and 3 a.m to prevent traffic snarls. A No Objection Certificate (NOC) will be issued to State Highways to re-lay the damaged stretch in 10 days as a few interlinking works are under way.

Corporation officials said that, at present, the civic body has around 81,000 connections within its limits. Once drainage work is completed, consumers will be asked to get individual house connections in January. By then, most of the damaged stretches will be re-laid. Currently, arterial stretches like Anna Road and Arcot Road near CMC are being re-laid after milling.

 

A minor fire broke out on the third floor of Government Medical College Hospital in Tiruvannamalai town on Sunday night. No casualties were reported.

Police said, around 8.30 p.m, doctors noticed smoke from the air conditioner unit in the doctor’s cabin. Immediately, staff nurses and non-medical staff were evacuated. Power supply to the floor was snapped.

Based on an alert, a six-member firefighters team and Tiruvannamalai East police personnel rushed to the spot. “It was a minor fire in the air-conditioner duct. Thick smoke engulfed the cabin,” D. Mani, Station Fire Officer, Tiruvannamalai Town, told The Hindu.

After half an hour of labour, firefighters doused the fire. Police said an electrical short circuit could be the reason for the incident. A case was registered.