Close open drains with concrete slabs

Visakhapatnam: Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is taking up a massive checking of all open drains in 72 divisions in the city. The two-dimensional checks are aimed to close the open drains with concrete slabs to prevent the drowning deaths and overflowing of drains during the heavy rains. The staff have been directed to locate all the vulnerable drains and directed them to close the open drains with concrete slabs.

Though the GVMC has been initiating several steps to ensure free flow of drainages, during heavy rains they were overflowing on the roads and entering into houses in the low-lying areas.

In 2015, a six-year-old Lavanya Aditi drowned in a drain while getting into her car after her tuition near Dr V S Krishna College at HB Colony in the city. The GVMC, police, VUDA and several other departmental officials searched to locate Lavanya, but in vain. After eight days, the Lavanya body was fished out at Bhogapuram beach of Vizianagaram district.

Meanwhile, in the three spells of heavy downpour in mid-summer, all the drains were overflowed and at several places, the rain water was mixed with the drain water and entered the houses at the low-lying areas. As there is no cover on the open drains, the overflowing drainage water created big nuisance to pedestrians and vehicular traffic.

Observing the facts, GVMC Commissioner M Hari Narayanan directed the officials to close all the open drains with concrete slabs on priority. As the southwest monsoon predicted likely in June first week, the commissioner alerted the engineering and public health wings of corporation to close the drains before the monsoon sets in.