Ambulances and buses were stuck on the stretch due to a large trench dug by the civic body for underground pipeline works for more than a fortnight. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
The Vellore Corporation has accelerated its ongoing work to lay major underground pipelines on the service lane of the NHAI-managed Chennai–Bengaluru Highway (NH 48) near Green Circle, a roundabout under the Vellore stretch, to complete the work before Pongal 2026.
It comes as a result of heavy traffic on the service lane towards the Old Town and near the Green Ring during rush hour. Ambulances, school and college buses were stuck on the stretch due to a large trench dug by the civic body for underground pipeline work for over a fortnight. “The pipeline work near Green Circle is crucial to connect new pipelines from the streets to the new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). This work is the major remaining underground pipeline work of the project. The entire work will be completed by Pongal 2026,” R. Lakshmanan, Commissioner, Vellore Corporation, told The Hindu.
Corporation officials said that since the service lane and Green Circle witness huge traffic flow, the civic body can carry out pipe work between 11 pm and 3 am Unlike other laying work, these new pipes are laid at least nine meters deep due to the existing NHAI underground channel on the stretch. Work on the pipeline is carried out to a distance of approximately 300 meters. As a result, the work was delayed.
At present, the 650-metre long pipe bridge along the Palar river will carry household drainage in 32 districts, mostly from the Old Town areas, to the new STP at Viruthampattu near Katpadi. The bridge is being built 20 feet above the riverbed to prevent flooding during the monsoon. The new VTP has a capacity of 50 MLD.
Launched in 2019, mainly from its Phase II, the multi-million dollar project further includes main sewerage pipelines, pumping and transfer stations and sewage treatment plants covering all 60 zones that have approximately eight million inhabitants within the civic limits.
Corporation officials said that of the 900 sections damaged due to underground pipeline work for the project, the civic body has laid 534 sections within its limits at a cost of ₹46 crore, covering a distance of 52 km. In the following days, approximately 350 more damaged streets were identified. The civic body has requested ₹25 crore from the state government for the work.
Corporation officials said that currently the civic body has around 81,000 connections within its limits. After the drainage works are completed, consumers will be asked for individual house connections in January. By then, most of the damaged sections will be laid again.
Published – 28 Dec 2025 20:40 IST
