An open drain network on Medavakkam Main Road in Madipakkam is posing threat to the safety of motorists.
The whole of the stormwater drain network has stagnant sewage and the stormwater drains in residential localities in Madipakkam — Vigneshwara Nagar, Balaji Nagar, Perumal Nagar, and Lakshmi Nagar — are dumped with trash and construction debris.
P. Sekar, a motorist and a resident of Madipakkam, says, “The entire network has been lying open for more than six months and poses a risk to the safety of motorists and the pedestrians.” He says a few accidents have taken place. “Recently, a youngster working in a supermarket fell into the drain. The area also lacks proper lights,” he says.
The arterial stormwater drain network should carry rainwater from stormwater drains from neighbourhoods in Madipakkam to Keezhkattalai Eri, says G. P. Babu, secretary, Federation of Moovarasampet Welfare Associations (FMWA).
But no steps have been taken to link the drain to the waterbody. “The depth of the canal is around five feet. The open canal poses a health hazard and is a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” adds Sekar.
