CHENNAI: Residents of the DRA 90 Degrees Apartment in Kovilambakkam, especially those living alongside the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road, allege that their long-pending demand for piped water connections and sewage pipelines remains unaddressed.
The absence of proper drainage poses environmental and health risks, while the lack of a piped water connection forces residents to rely on expensive alternatives, especially in summer.
According to residents, they have been raising complaints since 2023 through the Chief Minister’s Special Cell and the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal. They are demanding these basic amenities to meet the growing needs of gated communities in Kovilambakkam, located along the Radial Road.
K Arun Kumar, a resident, said, “Our apartment falls neither under the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) nor the Tambaram Corporation; it is still under the Kovilambakkam Panchayat. The lack of a piped drinking water supply forces us to depend entirely on water tankers to meet our needs during the summer.”
Echoing his thoughts, Aravind, another resident of DRA 90 Degrees Apartment, lamented the lackadaisical response from officials for their complaints. “Access to clean drinking water and sanitation is not a luxury but a basic public health necessity. Last year, we had to rely heavily on tanker lorries for two months when the groundwater levels depleted,” he stated.
Arun added that in response to a CM Cell complaint filed in June 2025, he received a reply indicating that piped drinking water would be supplied in the future under the Underground Sewerage Scheme (UGSS), but no specific deadline was mentioned.
When asked about the issue, the St Thomas Mount Block Development Officer (BDO) explained, “Usually, village panchayats do not provide dedicated water supply lines to large gated communities; they are expected to manage their own sources. The Underground Drainage (UGD) project for this panchayat has not yet been sanctioned. When we receive a formal request letter from the residents, we’ll work to identify a viable water source and make necessary provisions for them.”
Usually, village panchayats do not provide dedicated water supply lines to large gated communities; they are expected to manage their own sources. The Underground Drainage (UGD) project for this panchayat has not yet been sanctioned
- St Thomas Mount BDO