The Gandhi Hill drain, which is considered a drain of woes, will get a facelift shortly. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has earmarked Rs.70 lakh for chemical treatment of the drain. The work is likely to be completed by June-end.
The VMC officials say that the chemical treatment will increase the life of the drain by 10 years. Injection grouting and spray concrete are some of the techniques that are used in strengthening the drain. Initially, the sand blowing would be taken up, then concreting of side walls. The chemicals would be injected into the walls and other parts of the drain, they say.
The Gandhi Hill drain is one of the two bottlenecks in drainage system in One Town. It carries waste water etc. generated in the One Town to Eluru canal. The other major drain is Nizam Gate drain. The existing drainage system in One Town was designed in 1930. The drains were constructed during British rule in the country. It may be recalled that these drains got choked in 2009 leading to inundation of entire One Town area. The outfall drain near Gandhi Hill tells its own tale. It was constructed in 1933. The drain was designed to cater to a population of 5,000. Since then, Vijayawada has developed into a municipal corporation, but, the drain has neither been modernised nor alternative plans made, though population increased manifold.
The outfall drain is so huge that the people could row on a dinghy from Gandhi Hill to Vehicle depot, passing beneath the Vijayawada railway station, which is one of the largest stations in the country stretching over 10 platforms. Old timers recall that the drain was fully de-silted last time when M.G.V.K. Bhanu was the Municipal Commissioner.
