The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Several areas still waterlogged

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Tuesday, Nov 10, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Several areas still waterlogged

Staff Reporter

— Photo: K.Pichumani

Potholed: Many roads such as Spurtank Road in Chetpet have been damaged.

CHENNAI: There were only intermittent showers on Monday, bringing relief to the residents of several localities as rainwater that had stagnated over the last three days began receding slowly. In some places, the roads have been battered.

However, on Thandavaraya Street in Tondiarpet, parts of Tiruvottiyur High Road, Vyasarpadi, Korrukkupet, Kolathur and some areas of T.Nagar and Velachery, the residents blamed the authorities for stormwater drain problems as their areas continue to remain under sheets of water.

Residents of Vyasarpadi said that despite continuous pumping out of water, the Ganesapuram subway and adjoining the roads had knee-deep water. Compounding the problems for motorists using Tiruvottiyur High Road was the incomplete stormwater drain work.

Srinivasapuram in Korattur and Indian Bank Colony, Ambattur OT, were some of the worst-hit areas in western suburbs. K. Sambasivam of Indian Bank Colony said that as the other roads had been blacktopped, the level of First Main Road became low, leading to water stagnation.

In Gowl Bazaar, a suburb behind Chennai Airport, a 51-year-old man went missing in the Adyar river on Monday. Police said Raju, who was herding his cattle, tried to cross the causeway across the river connecting Gowl Bazaar and Gerugambakkam. He jumped into the river to bring back to the banks some cows swept away. Houses in many low-level areas such as Madipakkam and Pallikaranai were waterlogged, and traffic was affected on rain-battered arterial roads awaiting repair.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department forecasts less rainfall in the coming days. On Monday, Nungambakkam received 6 mm and Meenambakkam recorded 12.3 mm in the 12 hours ending 8.30 p.m.

Mayor M. Subramanian, who inspected the rain-hit areas in north Chennai, said the city recorded 46 cm of rainfall in the past four days. Otteri Nullah canal flowed to its brim, inundating Meenambal Nagar in Korukkupet.

The civic body distributed nearly 2.7 lakh food packets in the past two days and about 6,900 people were screened at medical camps organised by it, said a release. About 230 roads, such as G.N. Chetty Road, Paper Mills Road, T.T.K. Road and Kodambakkam High Road, were being repaired, the Mayor said.

Metrowater numbers

A release said that besides area engineers, senior officers of Chennai Metrowater have been nominated to address rain-related complaints. They are: Area-I — S. Gunasekaran 9445061966; Area II — A.L.Radhakrishnan 9445061777; Area-III — G. Perumal 9445061888; Area-IV — A. Sahasranamam 9445003333; Area-V & Adjacent Urban Areas — K. Jagannathan 9445061500; Area-VI — S. Muthukumaran 9445028888; Area-VII — V. Balraj — 9445061666; Area-VIII — A. Mani 9445002222; Area-IX — C.R. Yogiswaran 9445032222; Area-X — A. Gita Kumar 9445016666; and Area-X — B. P. Muthukumaran 9445061250.

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