CHENNAI: Heavy overnight rainfall on Tuesday damaged the city’s main and interior roads, severely disrupting the morning commute. Waterlogging was reported in several areas, which were drained only by 11 am.
In AGS Colony, 3rd Main Road and the interior streets of Velachery, stagnated water took much longer to recede. Similarly, in Subramania Nagar 2nd Street and adjoining streets in Kodambakkam, trees were uprooted in several places and removed later.
In the morning, Bazullah Road in T Nagar, Taramani-Velachery Road, OMR, Aziz Nagar, Subramaniyan Nagar and School Road in Valluvar Kottam were waterlogged. Trees were also uprooted on Police Quarters Road in T Nagar and on 11th Street, TNHB Colony, Korattur, and later it was cleared.
S Gopi, secretary, Subramania Nagar Civic and Neighbourhood Welfare Association, told DT Next, “Run-off water flows from Railway Border Road through Valliammal Garden Main Road into a single path on Second Street. It then passes through a railway culvert towards T Nagar and collects in a sump, where a 25 HP dewatering motor pumps it out. Water will drain out by 3 pm.”
However, after a heavy downpour at night, water stagnates in the street. The disposal volume remains insufficient, causing distress to residents. He urged officials to act proactively instead of setting up pumps at the last minute.
Geetha Ganesh, secretary, AGS Colony RWA, said, “Minister R Kumar and GCC officials inspected the flood-hit areas here. He directed the deployment of additional tractor-mounted motor pumps and round-the-clock monitoring. We’ve again urged a scientific study by experts from IIT Madras and Anna University to identify the root causes and prepare a permanent flood-mitigation plan.”
G Manivasagam, president, Secretariat Colony RWA, said that CMWSSB officials had dug up Sakthi Srinivasan Road for sewage pipeline works, which have been progressing slowly for six months. “So, MTC bus services from Secretariat Colony to Island Ground, Royapuram, T Nagar, Guduvanchery and Koyambedu have been suspended for the past six months, as buses cannot navigate the road. It’s slushy and full of potholes. Even the interior roads of Secretariat Colony are in a similar condition,” he added.
Meanwhile, civic activist Ramesh Ramadoss, a resident of Old Washermenpet, alleged that the Metro Water board had completed pipeline works 4 months ago, but the road-relaying work was incomplete. “Several streets in Ward 48, such as Ekambaram Street and Ramanujam Koodam Street, are damaged because they were not relaid after the pipelines were installed,” he rued.