Vellore Corporation Commissioner A. Catherine Saranya inspects desilting of water channels and storm-water drains in the town. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement With the onset of the Northeast monsoon, Vellore Corporation has identified 49 areas, mostly in Old Town, which are prone to waterlogging.
Water channels have been desilted in these areas to prevent water stagnation during the monsoon.Corporation officials said that areas such as Kansalpet, Kaspa, Shenbakkam, Ambedkar Nagar, Thedir Nagar, and Konavattam are identified as flood-prone areas in Old Town. “Most of the identified spots in Old Town are low-lying areas. Desilting of storm-water drains and key water channels have been done to ensure free flow of excess rainwater into the river,” A.
Catherine Saranya, Commissioner, Vellore Corporation, told The Hindu.Corporation officials said that as part of monsoon-preparedness measures, special teams led by a sanitary inspector have been deployed in identified areas prone to waterlogging in town. Surveillance teams will also patrol waterbodies to prevent dumping of waste that could choke the flow of rainwater in these water channels.Key water channels such as Nicholson, Thorapadi, and Pandian canals have been desilted to a distance of 64 km in the town.
Among these water channels, Nicholson canal is the oldest waterbody and runs upto nine km. Built by the British in the 1890s, the canal discharges excess rainwater from nearby hillocks such as Pinchamandai, Kurumalai, Nechimedu, Pallakollai, and Vellakalmalai to the Palar River.Along with Corporation Commissioner Ms.
Saranya, Collector P.S. Leena Alex inspected rain-related works in town.
Ms. Alex also directed civic officials to take up road repair works and remove garbage, especially in congested spots such as markets and bus termini.Corporation officials said that the civic body has set up at 12 relief centres, to relocate families during emergencies.
Each centre, on an average, can accommodate 100 persons. More than 500 trees have been pruned to prevent damage to electrical cables in the town.The civic body has also banned road cutting works by private contractors, including telecom service providers during monsoon to ensure safety of commuters and pedestrians.
Civic officials also asked residents to take precautionary measures against dengue. At present, 25 dengue cases have been registered in Vellore town, civic officials said.
Published - October 25, 2026 11:12 pm IST