Tiruchi Corporation to appoint new agency for pumping sewage

There have been frequent complaints of manholes overflowing and sewage blockages in several residential neighbourhoods near Tiruverumbur in Tiruchi. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO In a bid to tackle persistent sewage overflow in parts of Tiruverumbur, the Tiruchi City Corporation has decided to engage a new agency to operate and maintain sewage lifting and pumping stations in the area.The civic body has prepared an estimate to appoint a new agency to operate and maintain 13 sewage lifting stations and pumping stations in Wards 39, 40, and 42 for one year to ensure uninterrupted sewage pumping and prevent overflow. Based on its performance, the contract may be extended for another two years.The move comes amid frequent complaints of manholes overflowing and sewage blockages in several residential neighbourhoods, which residents attribute to deficiencies in the work executed by the contractor as part of the Underground Drainage (UGD) Phase II project. With the monsoon approaching, officials said that sewage overflow and reverse flow through manholes could worsen if the issue was not addressed promptly.In Wards 39 and 40, the agency will maintain the sewage pumping station at Win Nagar and roadside lifting stations at Balaji Nagar, Carmel Garden, Mahalakshmi Nagar, IAS Nagar, Chola Avenue. and Kamaraj Nagar at an estimated annual cost of ₹28.10 lakh.Similarly, in Ward 42, the sub-sewage pumping station at Rajarajeshwari Nagar and roadside lifting stations at Amman Nagar East, Amman Nagar West, Sriram Nagar, AVM Jothi Nagar and Kumaran Nagar at an estimated cost of ₹24.75 lakh.The UGD Phase II project, launched in 2018 at an estimated cost of ₹377.29 crore, covers 19 wards fully and parts of five other wards. Under the project, about 285.7 km of underground sewer pipelines had been laid and 36,469 house service connections had been provided to residential and commercial establishments through newly installed UGD chambers.The project includes six sub-pumping stations and a sewage treatment plant at Keezha Kalkandarkottai. Corporation officials said nearly 99% of the project had been completed, with only final finishing works remaining before it was commissioned. Published - July 18, 2026 08:36 pm IST