Even before the onset of the northeast monsoon, a section of residents in Velachery is fearful of a possible repeat of last year’s December deluge.
The slow progress in constructing an underground channel for draining rainwater from the Velachery Lake to the Buckingham Canal on Taramani Link Road and incomplete sewer pipeline construction work in certain areas have had residents bracing themselves for flooding. Adding to their woes is the traffic chaos caused by construction work on a grade separator coming up at the junction of Velachery Main Road-Bypass Road.
S. Kumararaja, a resident of Annai Indira Nagar in Velachery, citing the long-delayed underground channel work being carried out on Taramani Link Road for several years, said several residential areas, including Tansi Nagar, Dhandeeswaram Nagar, Annai Indira Nagar and Bethel Avenue, could face flooding because of a lack of proper storm water drain facility to channel the overflowing rainwater from the Velachery Lake. He rued the blocking of the storm water drain network, which has resulted in a portion of Tansi Nagar and Dhandeeswaram Nagar, otherwise safe from water stagnation, facing flooding issues.
While those living in residential colonies along Taramani Link Road are facing water stagnation, social welfare activists are shocked by the complete lack of planning by government agencies in demolishing a portion of the completed underground channel on Taramani Link Road.
T. Arun Mohan, a resident of Sarathy Nagar, said the demolition of the newly constructed underground drain network on the Taramani Link Road has resulted in a waste of not only public money but also likely traffic bottlenecks for the motorists bound for the information technology corridor.
Sources in the Water Resources Department said that a portion of the diversion channel was being demolished to give way to piers of one arm for the upcoming grade separator on Taramani Link Road.
Of the 70-metre stretch that is intersecting the alignment of the grade separator, a portion of the channel under construction is being demolished in two or three spots to accommodate the piers.
“The Highways Department is demolishing the portion and has assured us they would reconstruct it, after the work on pier is completed,” said an official.
The Water Resources Department is carrying out works to interlink the portion of diversion channel. “Only 10 per cent of the work is waiting to be finished. Of the 4,100-metre-long channel planned, the channel has been constructed for a distance of nearly 3,800 metres. We want to complete the entire work by December. Work had to be put on hold for a year for the grade separator,” the official added.
While storm water from neighbouring locations like Nallathambi Street and MGR Salai may be drained without difficulty, the diversion channel will not be able to carry surplus water from Velachery lake till the entire work is completed.
