Chennai Citizen Connect: GCC's civic negligence irks Rajalakshmi Nagar residents

CHENNAI: Residents of Rajalakshmi Nagar, Pallikaranai, condemned Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) officials for civic negligence. They informed that instead of removing illegally dumped debris, the civic body closed a grievance complaint by laying gravel over the waste, which permanently raised the height of the street. Residents are now arguing that this act of negligence has blocked the natural flow of water, paving the way for rainwater to stagnate on one side of the road and houses during the monsoon.

According to the residents, the locality faced severe waterlogging during last year's monsoon rains. To mitigate the flooding on the streets, a few residents filled the road with construction debris, an action that now adversely affects houses in the low-lying areas.

A Raj, a resident of Rajalakshmi Nagar, said, "To save their own premises from future inundation, a few residents unauthorisedly dumped heavy construction debris onto the public road to artificially elevate its height."
However, when a complaint was raised urging the GCC to remove the debris, the Corporation officially closed the grievance by laying gravel over the illegal waste, which residents have strongly criticised.

"By doing this, the GCC has formalised the illegal height increase. Our houses are now permanently trapped below street level, guaranteeing that when it rains, the water will flow straight into our homes," said one of the residents on condition of anonymity.

The residents are urging officials to restore the street to its original height and are demanding genuine corrective action instead of superficial work.
An official from the Greater Chennai Corporation said, "After gathering details from the local officials, the issues will be resolved."