CHENNAI: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has urged the State government and Greater Chennai Corporation to expedite pending stormwater drain works, interconnections and desilting to prevent another major flood in the city.

In a statement issued by Anbumani said that stormwater drain works taken up across Chennai based on the recommendations of the Thirupugazh Committee had not been fully completed even four years after they began in 2022. Of the proposed 1,093 km network, works had been completed for 1,045 km, leaving around 48 km pending, he said.

He pointed out that several stretches, including Anna Nagar Second Avenue, Arcot Road, Ashok Nagar, KK Nagar, Alandur, Perungudi, Sholinganallur, Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram and ThiruViKa Nagar, still had incomplete works and open trenches posing risks to motorists and residents.

Anbumani also claimed that interconnection work between drains was pending at 68 of the 105 identified locations. Further, desilting had not been completed in 41 per cent of the inlet structures along the 1,682 km stormwater drain network, potentially obstructing rainwater flow into the drains.

Citing the State government's committee on the impact of the Super El Niño system, he said Tamil Nadu could witness excess rainfall and flooding this year. He recalled that Chennai had experienced severe flooding in previous high-rainfall years, including 2015 and 2023.

Anbumani urged the government to complete all pending works on a war footing and immediately close and restore road trenches to prevent flooding and accidents.