t was billed as a low-cost housing in the most happening locality along Rajiv Gandhi Salai and several hundred middle-income families invested their savings on a government housing project in Sholinganallur in 2011. However, four years later, many of these flats are literally surrounded by sewage on all sides.
Lake View Apartments built by Tamil Nadu Housing Board has 902 flats tucked inside Sholinganallur. There are 3 phases and one of them – the second phase has 384 flats. The access roads leading to the site from Rajiv Gandhi Salai or IT Corridor is in a state of disrepair.
Families living in the second phase find themselves isolated in an island caused by the reverse flow of sewage from the underground drainage network provided by the housing board.
The lack of maintenance and obstructions in the network has lead to the stagnation of sewage around our flats, points out R. Sridharan, a senior citizen. While motorists manage to reach the portico on the ground floor without getting stuck in muck, others like Mr. Sridharan find if rather difficult.
In an attempt to traverse over the sewage, residents have placed wooden logs and stones that need to be carefully treaded upon to reach the flight of stairs.
For women with children tucked in their arms, the situation is a nightmare.
“The obstructions in the drainage network are the work of mischief mongers. We have given several complaints to local office of TNHB for months together, but there has been no response. All it requires is a couple of hours of work to remove the objects that have choked the network,” said Jaya Rajan, another resident of phase II.
Although, the residents receive adequate drinking water supply from Chennai Metrowater, facilities like lifts for the three-storeyed building were not installed owing to the low-cost housing. Residents, who earlier felt lucky to own a government-built home along the IT Corridor at such affordable rates, now feel that the poor maintenance is putting them off. They say that due to the sewage stagnation, friends and relatives hesitate to pay them a visit.
Officials told The Hindu that Chennai Metrowater was currently extending underground drainage project in Sholinganallur and Lake View Apartments would be linked to it soon. They will soon carry out repair works in the existing network within the complex and ensure that sewage did not stagnate around the flats, officials added.
