Water-logging, half-completed stormwater drains, sewage and slush leave residents a bedraggled lot
Though residents had a respite on Sunday from a long spell of rain, they continued to grapple with its impact. The city's infrastructure stood exposed, with roads remaining flooded, traffic slowing down on damaged roads and drains overflowing.
Residents in many areas said that though water had drained off the main roads, interior roads were still flooded.
“There is a lot of slush on the roads and with sewage mixing with the rainwater mosquitoes are breeding. Unless the Corporation takes preventive steps, we may end up with dengue and malaria,” said Padma, a resident of Toll Gate in Tiruvottiyur.
Incomplete stormwater drain (SWD) works across the city and the newly extended areas only added to the woes. Residents of Narayani Apartments in Sridevi Garden in Valasaravakkam said the SWD in their area had not been completed and that some had been wounded after falling into the uncovered drains.
“Water has entered all homes on the ground floor. Power supply has also been cut. While we are struggling with knee-deep water that has flowed here from the Maduravoyal lake, Corporation workers are pumping in water from the neighbouring street as someone there has complained,” said S. Ramesh, secretary of Narayani Apartments Residents' Welfare Association.
Residents such as R. Lakshminarasimhan spent the morning searching for temporary accommodation. “My son is in his XII class and daughter, in engineering college and we are in the midst of their exams. Some neighbours have locked their homes and gone to stay with friends and relatives.”
L. Rajkumar of Bhuvaneshwari Nagar in Velachery said, “A proposal to construct a SWD in 2nd Cross Street was dropped as it was not feasible. We had about 9 inches of water inside our homes and we used a mini motor to pump it out after the councillor and corporation officials cut a channel to drain the water.” he said. SWD work in many places had not been completed in Velachery.
Minister for Municipal Administration K.P. Munusamy said that a consultant had been appointed for identifying areas that are prone to water logging in the expanded Chennai Corporation.
Keywords: Chennai monsoon, northeast monsoon, monsoon issues, General Post Office, Chennai civic issues
Year by year multistoried building are coming up in Villivakkam Rajaji nagar.But while issuing permission the authorities seldom visit the places to find out the surroundings.Many houses are built against the rules of civic authorities such as EB&MWSSB.New apartments which are constructed with raised sewage lines and deeper drinking water lines are causing water scarcity in summer and are causing stagnation of rainwater on roads and flooding of old houses thereby making life miserable for young and old.Will the authorities look into the floodwater due to choked drains in monsoon and scarcity of drinking water in summer days.
May be we should write one or two positive suggestions as well- will be happy is chennai has the same capital money like bangkok--well it will all settle in a weeks time-chill out
First of all the administration of Tamil Nadu state should be more to a central location - Thanjavur or Tiruchi. Chennai cannot be the administrative capital as it is located in one corner of the state. Many developed countries and provinces have capitals in central location far from crowded cities. Even city administration is pathetic. Hawkers have a right to occupy platforms, builders have right to build extra floors - it requires a complete change in mindset to make rules strict. Flyovers are poorly constructed - TN Nagar, IIT flyovers are good examples. Of course our politicians are known for their stupidity and short-sigtedness.
Even the basics are still a luxury in our mother land. Clean water, basic amenities including drainage system, roads especially the arterial roads in the towns, metropolis and villages are nor given priorities since we got our independence. We like to tell everyone we are an emerging country but we still do not address the basics. The fundamental mistake one can observe is city or town planning. Where a single family house should be built our governing bodies issue permits to build multistoried structure and the result is the sewage and the drinking water problems arise and moreover the parking space etc is also compromised. I remember Chennai Annanagar as primarily a single family community and now it more of an apartment commuity; it was planned for something and now it is something else.Such problems especially drainage, water, sewage, pathways to walk will be compromised if strict planning policy is not followed. Just imagine the situation 5 to 10 years from now if we do not address it.
One side Roads like bumpy test track....other side potholes which are like death trap.... traffic jam every where...people stranded in the bus stop...passengers hanging over the crowded buses... no traffic police ...no temporary filling of potholes ...government just busy is blaming previous government achievements ...sad to see my Chennai in this way...state in dark...
OCCUPY CHENNAI CORPORATION - A movement such as this may be needed. The Power of the people has to be realized and enact bills similar to JAN LOKPAL. Also, what are our engineers and city planning authorities not being questioned. We are always happy in applauding for small things. If our Engineers are so intelligent and good why can't they envision such problems and put them out in the open. If the Govt failed to enact don't reward them again the the next elections. If a contractor has provided shoddy work make him/her accountable. IF this Mayor is not good pick one of the INDEPENDENTS who make sense to all.
I hope Chennai will not become another Bangkok....
Clogged drains may solve part of the problem - the reality is roads have been built with no curb drains but only manhole covers in the middle of roads - poor (or no) urban and infrastructure planning are the key reasons - Chennai has to expand in the suburbs, not further overcrowded in the already crowded areas.
Minister K.P. Munusamy said that a consultant had been appointed for identifying areas that are prone to water logging in the expanded Chennai Corporation. Good to hear this news. The contact nos of this consultant shall be made public. So that PUBLIC can inform their problems of Swollen water bodies and Inundated roads. The THANKAL EARI at Vijaya lakshimi puram was closed and converted as PARK. All the out lets were closed (Out flow gate & excess water out flow) permanently without providing proper excess water outlet. In addition to it all the rain & sewage water even from Bus Stand & Pudur are connected to it Under the STROM WATER DRAINAGE scheme. Due to improper outlet, all the water is stagnated around the houses. Peoples living in this area are under enormous problems. They cant even go out for their daily needs. All the peoples are expecting the New Corporation to solve this problem.Several articles were published in “THE HINDU”some action was taken, now,it is time to solve.
We have been hearing the same stories year after year- nothing works - I only feel sorry for those tax payers and affected people-specially the poor & middle class people-who are already struggling with raising prices and day to day worries. After the water drains away & sun shines- every body forgets the flooding. What did you ask those politicians when they asking for your votes in recent corporation election? Did you adress the problems to them? Learn to elect working governments.Things will start working.
That is a very valid point highlighted by Ms.Padma , when things are fine we public fail to maintain the enviornment and ony when things go point corporation and Goverment.People please realise that people who work in corporation are just like you and I , if we help the society by being little selfless, eco-friendy (not using plastic bags, littering the public places, use the trash bin wherever available etc.,)The best way is to approach the local councillors or SWD dept to check if the SWD routes are free from blockage etc.This might sound silly , but if we think one step ahead of the authorities act one step ahead of the calamities, we will be little safe.In tamil as they 'Varum Mun Kaapom' applies here.
Why no water clogs near Radharkrishnan Salai? Is Corporation confined to maintain that alone. Corporation is not even able to maintain its current limits, then why they have ambitious plans of extending it?
This is a terrible situation. The stagnant (and contaminated with sewer) water can cause letptospirosis (also known as rat fever). People should protect themselves first by not waddling in such water. Civic sense must be observed by citizens as to not dump waste material in and around SWD grates since that can clog and cause overflow into the streets and homes. The government may be inept in handling all this but citizens also have to observe proper conduct in hygienic matters around their homes.
Now why should the news that 'Chennai city's inadequate infrastructure cruelly exposed by rains'make headlines ? Every major and smaller Indian cities have centuries old totally antiquated infrastucture and when ever it rains it more than exposes this type of situation. City of Gurgaon outside New Delhi is a case in point. It is a fine example of planners putting cart before the horse.
Important places like Olympia towers (Guindy), Velacherry, Usman road were water logged. This happens every time but no corporation authority is willing to work. We hope Mr. Duraisamy should take swift action.
SWD for chennaites is not going to solve anything.Even before the works are complete these people let drain water in the SWD. Porur is an example. All rubbish is dumped into the SWD. Our people misuse every facility & are quick to complain when things go wrong.People should learn to be a little less selfish before any good turn to take place. No government will be able to do anything if people don't start to manage rubbish better.
Its our own making.
Scant regard to canals, streams to let the rain water to wash out.. those are closed, ignored or constructions over it.
Lakes and lake beds are gone.. and with this.. we have zero preparedness by Chennai Corporation & Govt. It's the same story for last 20 years.
Every contract or work which is initiated, delegated and been
implemented by the Chennai corporation should publish the start and
end dates of the said work. In this case the Storm Water drain works
are been endlessly delayed. for example in the Gopalakrishnan street,
T.Nagar for the last three months work is still incomplete on a
stretch of 50 mtrs of drain construction. It is Tax payers money that
is been invested, public should know when such a work starts and ends
and whether the effort is worthwhile.
It is cruel to learn that a teacher died after falling in to the drain
in T.nagar. Only now after the death of an individual that the
publications have found space for such a disaster. This was waiting to
happen. Everyone knows such drains have claimed life in the past years
and other metroes too. But then why do we wait for someone to lose
their life and then take necessary step. Such agencies and their
officials should be answerable to such great loss that has happened.
There are no proactive measures to prevent this kind of calamity.
They try to take action , only when this type of disaster happens.
The people are to be blamed for the flooding ,as well as the administrators of a large city like Chennai.
The people have no awareness of cleanliness and safety .They throw all debris , waste and garbage everywhere on the roads and into the drains thus clogging up drains . The authorities and politicians are so corrupt , that the builders and cotractors cut corners to build good drainages ,culverts and bridges or delay the construction, in order to make a profit after paying hefty bribes .
Thank God. It does not rain as much as in Thailand where the flooding
has cuased enormous problems.
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