While many subways across the city were water-logged due to heavy rains, this one in Saidapet wasn’t. The C.P. Pavalavannan Subway in West Saidapet did not have any water stagnation.
The reason: thus subway had been designed in such a way that rainwater drained into Karneeswarar Koil Temple tank, which occupies 4000 sqft of space.
“While all the other subways, including the Nanganallur, Thillai Ganga Nagar, Duraiswamy, Aranagnathan subways, were water-logged, water drained our of this subway in no time,” said residents.
One of the temple officials said: “When a proposal was made for the construction of a subway, some wanted the tank be closed. The argument was that, due to where it was located, the tank would hinder the subway project. After a series of discussions and a thorough study, it was decided that the subway would be built in such a way that it would be at a level higher than the tank. This way, the water would naturally drain into the tank.” Also, most of the streets in the neighbourhood are connected by stormwater drains which empty into the tank.
The temple’s rainwater system is said to be as old as the temple itself: 500 years.
After heavy rain, rainwater does not stagnate on roads and inside the temple, the official added. However, a senior officials from the Chennai Corporation, said: There are a few other subways in the vicinity, and not much water stagnates there.”
