CHENNAI: Just 30 minutes of rain on Thursday (November 13) morning was enough to bring traffic to a standstill along the GST Road, with Chromepet and Pallavaram witnessing severe waterlogging that crippled vehicle movement.
The downpour began around 8.30 am, and within half an hour, large stretches of the road were submerged. Vehicles moved bumper-to-bumper as office-goers and schoolchildren from the suburbs struggled to reach the city, many stuck for hours in traffic snarls.
Similar scenes were reported at the Thoraipakkam–Pallavaram Radial Road flyover near Chromepet, where stagnant rainwater further choked one of the city’s busiest routes. Motorists waded through knee-deep water while two-wheelers struggled to move.
“If this is the situation after one shower, what will happen when the northeast monsoon intensifies?” asked a resident. “Officials must investigate the issue thoroughly and find a permanent solution.”
Residents blamed the Highways Department, Public Works Department, and Chengalpattu district administration for failing to take preventive action before the rains. “No stormwater drains were cleared to allow rainwater to flow into nearby lakes. Every year, it’s the same story — and every year, authorities promise solutions that never arrive,” said R Dinesh, a regular commuter.