The Deccan Chronicle 24.08.2010
Rain ushers in fears of waterlogging in cityAug. 23: Poor monsoon arrangements in the city and suburbs have made living conditions from bad to worse and councillors, cutting across party lines, agree that inundated localities might get marooned if the rain continues. Low-lying areas in Chennai are witnessing water logging as stormwater drains constructed by the city corporation have either clogged or are failing to serve their purpose.
“Despite the city corporation constructing stormwater drains near the Vysarpadi Jeeva railway station and the Perambur flyover, both localities continue to be examples of a neglected north Chennai,” said a DMK Corporation councillor. “Last night my SUV broke down at Jamalia near Perambur after water entered the car and it was a traumatizing experience,” said N. Naryananan, who works for a software firm in Ambattur.
“We have not drowned yet but all the drains are full and the residents are keeping their fingers crossed, waiting in fear for the big monsoon rains,” said Ms Keerthana Kumar, a housewife residing in Kellys.
“Usually the city gets flooded only when there are uninterrupted showers for more than 36 hours and the situation becomes worse when inflow into the Coovum, Adyar river and Otteri Nullah is heavy. At such circumstances the storm water drains will fail to serve their purposes,” said a former chief engineer of city corporation.
When contacted, corporation commissioner Mr Rajesh Lakhoni said after completion, the Rs 1,500-crore micro and macro drain project will provide a permanent solution to Chennai’s flood problems. Whenever the city receives above 4 centimetre of rainfall, the Otteri Nullah overflows thus flooding low lying areas of north Chennai.
Currently the public works department has taken up an interlinking canal work between Otteri and Cooum, the minor canal on completion will divert the excess water from Otteri Nullah to Cooum and this will alleviate flooding in north Chennai, he said. The corporation has pressed about 150 people with high horse power motor pumps to drain the storm water, he added.
