Many roads, internal streets and low-lying areas were flooded due to the rain, with the water logging attributed to poor storm water drainage networks.
Residents of several parts of North Chennai did not get any respite from the waterlogging. The rains flooded several streets, interior streets and low-lying areas in the northern part of the city, with residents in many areas blaming poor stormwater drainage networks that were causing flooding.
Residents of Pulianthope and its surrounding areas were the worst affected as rain water inundated many parts, leaving hundreds of residents charred in the fire.
There was heavy waterlogging at Decaster Road, Stephenson Road, Pulianthope Main Road and Pattalam and KM Gardens. Several roads and localities in Tiruvottiyur were flooded, while internal lanes were inundated in parts of Chulai, Jawahar Nagar, Perambur and Vyasarpadi.
With no signs of receding water, Siraj, a resident of Decaster Road in Pulianthope, said he wanted to shift his parents out of the area, but could not due to lack of transport. “Waterlogging is a perennial problem here. The area is densely populated but the drain network is poor. There is little or no flow in the storm water drain laid only a few years ago. But who is going to look into our long pending pleas? We work only as a vote bank, but for many years our problems are not resolved,” he said.
subway open
The Ganeshapuram Metro at Jiva railway station was opened for traffic after the water was drained, while the Vyaspadi Metro remained partially submerged. Some major roads including Dr Ambedkar College Road in Pulianthope, Perambur High Road in Jamalia and First Main Road in Jawahar Nagar were inundated.
no help from the authorities
In fact, in some of these areas, residents had received little or no help from authorities to drain water or control traffic. Many residents of Pulianthope and its surroundings started moving out of their homes to their relatives’ homes in other areas.
There is no electricity for 36 hours. The power supply was snapped at 7 am on Sunday, which is yet to be restored. This area is surrounded by water as usual,” said Veronica, a resident of Pattalam.
Satish, a resident of Kakkan Street in Tiruvottiyur’s Rajaji Nagar, said the area was completely submerged for the past two days.
“There is about 2.5 feet of water. Nearby areas like Jyoti Nagar have also been flooded. We are going out of our homes only when there is some urgent work. No action has been taken so far to drain the water. Although storm water drains were constructed here, they did not complete the work of connecting the drain network. This work has been going on for the last one year.”
Waterlogging was observed in Kamaraj Nagar, Bhuvaneshwari Nagar and Nehruji Nagar in Mathur and Kavi Thendral Kalyanasundaram Nagar in Chinnamthur.
An official of the Northern Zone, Greater Chennai Corporation said that the major waterlogging issues were from Zones III (Madhavaram), IV (Tondiarpet) and V (Royapuram). “Annai Satya Nagar was one of the areas that were facing waterlogging. We have deployed a boat to carry out relief operations.” Motors were being used in many areas to clear the stagnant water.
He said that food is being provided for around 70,000 rain-affected persons in North Chennai region alone.
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