Several streets in Baba Nagar and Srinivasa Nagar in Kolathur have submerged in rainwater due to Cyclone Nivar.
The residential localities, which were once free of any water stagnation even during heavy rains, have borne the brunt of floods this year because of encroachments of waterbodies and the canals through which rain water used to flow into Retteri.
Several streets, including Baba Nagar 4th Street, 5th Street, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd main roads, were flooded with sewage mixed rainwater causing severe hardships to the residents.
C.R. Ramakantan, who has been residing in Baba Nagar for more than four decades, said except for the flooding which happened in December 2015, the residents had never faced stagnation of rainwater in their locality. The octogenarian has now been forced to vacate his house after rainwater entered into it and take refuge in his relative’s house nearby.
The residents allege the encroachments of the canal located on the Jawaharlal Nehru Salai by the shops and the construction of concrete houses near Dhaddankuppam and Rajamangalam have blocked the free flow of water into the lake.
A senior official of the Greater Chennai Corporation said normally the rainwater from Baba Nagar, Srinivasa Nagar and Senthil Nagar, would be flowing into the Kolathur Lake, which then would drain into Retteri through the water channel. The rainwater from Retteri would be released through the Kosasthalaiyar river.
Several unauthorised concrete buildings had come up and debris was being dumped in the channels leading to Retteri and Kolathur Lake. This had resulted in the heavy flooding of the residential areas of Baba Nagar, Srinivasa Nagar and Senthil Nagar, the official said.
The civic body with the coordination of Highways Department and Water Resources Department was removing encroachments and construction debris dumped on Saturday. The three residential localities would be free of water stagnation on Sunday, the official assured.
