Is Chennai rain-ready?

From identification of stagnation points and laying of stormwater drains to distribution of chlorine tablets to residents, the Corporation claims to have put in place various measures to prevent flooding and spread of diseases, this monsoon

Scenes from last monsoon. Photo: V Ganesan, R. Ragu, M. Srinath, B. Jothi Ramalingam

With the northeast monsoon knocking on Chennai’s doors, the civic body is gearing up to handle yet another season of flooded roads, inundated subways and monsoon-related diseases.

Even if stormwater drains are in place, temporary inundation is inevitable in Chennai. Several roads, such as the ones in Royapettah, get flooded, and remain so for a few hours at least, causing extreme discomfort to residents and motorists.

Moreover, with many roads being concretised, a significant height difference is noticed along the sides, where rainwater stagnates and mosquitoes breed.

However, a senior official of the Chennai Corporation said the stormwater drains cannot be blamed for this.

“Chennai has flat terrain and it would definitely take a few hours for the water level to recede. Paver blocks are being laid along concrete roads to rectify the height difference,” said the official.

The Corporation convened three inter-departmental meetings to chalk out plans to handle this year’s monsoon. A control room will be set up for coordination among various departments to handle emergencies.

The civic body plans to manage flooding by pumping out rainwater from the roads. “A total of 195 stagnation points have been identified, especially in low-lying areas such as Pulianthope and Vyasarpadi,” said the official, adding, the number has decreased from the 300 points identified last year.

Residents of extended areas, though, may face long periods of flooding as work on stormwater drains there are lagging. A temporary network is being set up along OMR.

The Corporation has grouped households to identify breeding grounds for mosquitoes and distribute chlorine tablets.

A few localities are already complaining of fever cases after the recent bout of showers. G. Abyvarghese, president, Senthil Nagar Youth and Resident’s Welfare Association, Kolathur, said, due to relaying of roads, debris had piled up on the sides, leading to water stagnation and mosquito menace.

Kavimani Jeyaraj, a resident of Senthil Nagar, Kolathur, said her son and niece suffered bouts of fever. “The fever lasted two days. We took them to a hospital as the fever relapsed. Doctors told us it is dengue and their platelet count is very low,” she claimed, though no medical records have been provided as proof.

However, a senior Corporation official said there are no dengue cases in Kolathur. “Our employees visit homes every five days to check on residents. Fogging operations are on,” he said.

(Additional reporting by Zubeda Hamid)