The Melapudur underpass in the city was flooded after the heavy downpour on Monday forcing traffic diversions in the city on Tuesday.
The busy subway was out of bounds for road users with the traffic police erecting barricades on both sides to divert vehicles. The water did not recede till late in the evening with the Highways Department deploying motor pumpsets to drain out the water. Vehicle users using the subway to proceed to Palakkarai and beyond had to take a detour via Marshingpet to reach the other side during morning and evening peak hours.
Similarly, vehicles coming from the Gandhi Market were diverted via the Goodshed Road. The diversions caused traffic snarls at different places, including the Head Post Office, Melapudur, and Warehouse areas.
Frequent flooding has been a major headache for road users as even light showers flood the subway. In recent years, there have been instances when heavy vehicles, including buses, were stranded in the middle of the subway because drivers were unable to judge the depth of the water. Motor pumpsets meant to pump out the water often do not work at the subway that is maintained by the Highways Department.
“Water stagnation at the subway has remained a pressing problem for a couple of decades now,” said M. Sekaran, convenor, Federation of Consumer and Service Organisations. The issue had been raised during the Road Safety Committee meetings on different occasions. Nevertheless, a lasting solution is yet to be found. It was time for the authorities concerned to find out suitable steps to address the water stagnation problem at the subway, Mr. Sekaran said.
Enquiries with the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation revealed that the civic body had planned to build an exclusive drain along the subway to prevent stagnation to a certain extent.
The drain would be established for about 200 metres from Melapudur to the sump near the subway.
Preparation of estimate for the work was under way, civic officials said.
When attention was drawn to the persistent problem, a senior corporation official told The Hindu that the issue had to be dealt by the State Highways as it was controlling and maintaining the subway.
However, keeping in mind the interest of residents and road users, the corporation had been providing men and machinery to drain out water as and when the situation warranted, the official said.
