Frequent malfunctioning of the underground drainage system has raised concern among the residents of Cantonment.

Though the Tiruchi Corporation continues to receive complaints of malfunctioning of underground drainage in different parts of the city, it is recurring frequently in Cantonment. Reynolds Road, Major Saravanan Road, Collector Office Road, V.O.C. Road, and outer periphery of the old Central Bus Stand are among the grey areas, where the issue is recurring frequently.

Residents complain that it is common to see overflowing manholes on the V.O.C. Road from the Government Agricultural Workshop to the Central Bus Stand. At least four cases of manhole overflowing were reported in the recent past. A manhole near the workshop was overflowing a few days ago. It took four days for the civic body to attend to the complaint. The residents had to take caution to cross the area. Hours after the complaint was addressed, another manhole in the same area started overflowing. The sewage is flowing on the road, thereby raising concern among residents.

“The issue is reappearing repeatedly. It is annoying to see sludge ooze out on the road. It takes days for civic teams to address the complaints. Overflowing manholes pose a health hazard as sewage stagnation emits odour and mosquito breeding,” says C.T. Nachiappan, a resident of V.O.C. Road.

Residents point out that despite acquiring a high-capacity multi-purpose super sucker machine to clear clogged underground drainage (UGD) networks, the civic body has been struggling to tackle frequent sewage overflows in several areas.

Mr. Nachiappan said that the Corporation should carry out intensive check in every ward. Steps must be taken to address the issues immediately after receiving complaints.