Chennai suburbs swimming in problems

Over the past few months, residents living in the suburban localities such as Mudichur, Tambaram, Pallavaram and Chitlapakkam among others, have sent countless representations to the local body, demanding action to prevent flooding, specific to their area. 

However, official apathy has resulted in the residents reliving the flood-like situation of 2015, as rainwater mixed with sewage has entered many homes. 

In Kurinji Nagar, Chromepet, residents had to suffer the agony of sewage mixed rainwater entering their homes, due to a fault in the drainage system. “It has been four days now,” fumed N Murugesan, President of Kurinji Nagar Resident Welfare Association. “The stench is unbearable. The sewage mixed rainwater has entered our homes and we cannot even use our restrooms, because of this fault. We had registered many complaints, but no action has been taken. We don’t know how long we have to suffer through this situation,” said the resident. 

In Kurukku Street, Chromepet, the inundation was due to a building construction, obstructing the water flow into the drainage channels. The New Colony residents of the streets are demanding that officials remove the building, as it is inconveniencing the larger public.

Suburban residents have to battle acute water scarcity during summer, followed by months of living in inundated surroundings due to the monsoon. R Ramadoss, a member of the Bharathi Nagar Residents Welfare Association, pointed out, “During summer, we get water supply once is 10 days, forcing us to rely on other water supply sources. During the rains, we are surrounded by water, which is entering our homes. But, there is not a drop to drink, and we have to use water cans for our drinking water needs.” 

Residents of Mudichur, who have been hit hardest due to flooding, had held a meeting, demanding action to prevent inundation in the future. Localities such as Pallavan Nagar, SK Avenue, Senthil Nagar, Ambal Nagar, Madanapuram and 13 other areas in Mudichur and Varadarajapuram were severely flooded, after the onset of the North-East monsoon. Over 43 resident welfare associations met and floated a representation, demanding a drainage channel to be constructed. 

P Damodaran, President, Mudichur Resident Welfare Association Joint Forum, encompassing the 43 associations, said, “Next to the outer ring road on the eastern side, there is an empty plot belonging to the Highways Department. We have made a representation asking the government to build a 20ft drainage system, which will solve the problem faced by the locality. We have petitioned the Chief Minister for this.” Encroachments on waterbodies and blocking of runoff path have been listed as the major causes for the flood-like situation. Despite the order to remove encroachments, officials said that there is stiff resistance. 

A PWD official said, “We have started removing encroachments in the suburban areas of Perungalathur and Varadarajapuram, which block the flow of water into the Adyar river. So far, we have removed 126 encroachments in Perungalathur and 10 commercial structures in Varadarajapuram. Now, 360 more encroachments remain – 179 in Perungalathur and 181 in Varadarajapuram. After the 2015 floods, we were given the power to remove encroachments. But now, people who own these buildings are approaching the High Court for a stay, resulting in a delay. If we had removed the encroachments, the flooding situation wouldn’t have occurred,” said the official.

Mudichur Road has been hit badly by the torrential rains, causing traffic to be diverted. A former official from the Tambaram Municipality said that to drain the water from Thilagavathy Nagar, Balaji Nagar, Irumbuliyur and parts of East Tambaram, they had undertaken the building of a drainage network at Rs 1.25 crore. “However, the construction of these drains was done until the Tambaram-Mudichur Road, which comes under the State Highways Department. They informed us that they will carry on the work from that point and also build a canal. So far, this has not been done. the canal being constructed is only 3 ft, insufficient to drain the water from the locality. We had proposed a 10 ft canal. However, the work is going at a snail’s pace over the last two years,” said the source. 

For residents of Chitlapakkam, an overflow from the Selaiyur Lake, inundates the locality. The problem was compounded by constructing high-rise buildings without a proper study of the water flow in these catchment areas. 

P Viswanathan, Convener, Chitlapakkam Residents Association Coordination Committee, said, “Currently, the water from Sembakkam Lake is being diverted to an open temple land, through which it overflows and reaches the residential areas. Every time it rains, the localities are flooded. From the time the rains started this month, we have been dreading water entering out homes. Even on Saturday night, after the rains, the water entered our homes, resulting in loss of property. The entire storm water drain is a sewage channel, which needs to be cleaned. 

Chitlapakkam doesn’t have a sanitary inspector yet. And garbage is being dumped into the lake, which will enter the lake during the rains. We want the existing channel extended along the Tambaram-Velachery Road, connecting it to the channel at the junction of Mahalakshmi Nagar and Tambaram – Velachery Road, which alone would prevent flooding of residential areas of Chitlapakkam adjoining Selaiyur and Rajakilpakkam areas,” he added. Viswanathan added that Sembakkam Lake acts as the receptacle for receiving upper catchment areas of Selaiyur, Rajakilpakkam, Chitlapakkam lakes. 

“An estimated Rs 96-crore project has been prepared by the government to create a flood diversion channel to divert the water from Tambaram to Adyar, while also improving the existing water courses. Once this is done, we hope that we won’t sink the next time it rains,” he concluded.

Drainage leaks resulting in sewage water mixing with rainwater, entering the households 

Construction of buildings on water flow channels, connected to the major canals 

Lack of drinking water supply

Lack of drainage channels for the localities 

Encroachments on water bodies

Lack of proper construction of storm water drain canals, culverts 

Lake encroachments 

Garbage and sewage in the lakes