The head of the advisory committee for mitigation and management of flood risk in Chennai metropolitan area, V. Thiruppugazh, held a meeting with civic officials in Ripon Buildings on Saturday to assess the situation in more than 700 localities.
Mr. Thiruppugazh has started an assessment of civic issues reported by residents in localities such as Pulianthope, T. Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Kolathur, West Mambalam, Perungudi and Anna Nagar. The meeting discussed temporary solutions to prevent flooding and the challenges in implementing long-term measures.
In Jawahar Nagar, in division 66 of zone 6, collapse of the drain on Siva Elango Salai was identified as the cause of flooding. Fifteen streets in the area were flooded by water flowing from Villivakkam to Captain Cotton Canal.
As a temporary step, the drain had been broken at 10 locations to remove silt and bale out water using 16 pumps. The permanent solution includes the construction of drains on either side of the 70 feet road, the officials said. About Pulianthope, the civic officials said blocks in Gandhi Canal should be removed and new drains built along Pulianthope High Road. At least 1.5 km of drain with a width of 1.5 metre and a depth of 1.5 metre had been proposed to be constructed to control flooding.
Stressing on the need to develop a new drain along Anna Main Road in Ashok Nagar and a bigger drain along Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, the officials said many parts of the existing drains had to be broken to let the flow of water.
As a long-term solution to the problem of flooding in West Mambalam, a new network of drains had been proposed from Railway Border Road through Arcot Road towards Trustpuram Canal. T. Nagar is expected to get permanent cross drainage structures to control flooding.
Private land had been proposed to be acquired in Perungudi zone for draining water from Chettinad Enclave in ward 190 to Narayanapuram Lake. At present, surplus water from Anai Eri enters Pallikaranai to flood the neighbourhood, the officials said.
