After Cyclone Michaung, Chennai residents want a flood regulator and defined surplus course for Medavakkam lake

Residents of Medavakkam demand improved lakes, surplus courses & bridged links to prevent flooding after Cyclone Michaung.

Residents of Medavakkam, which remained inundated for days after Cyclone Michaung, due to overflows and breaches of water bodies, want the lakes to be improved with defined surplus courses and missing links to be bridged.

It may be recalled that the southern fringes of Chennai, including Medavakkam, were marooned under sheets of water during the downpour triggered by Cyclone Michaung.

S. Sundaravadhanan of Puravankara Apartments in the area, said the Medavakkam lake did not have a surplus course and water that overflowed from the lake damaged the compound wall of the apartment complex and flooded the area. “Many cars, two-wheelers and facilities like sewage treatment plant were submerged under water. The lake’s bund also needs to be strengthened,” he said.

Residents noted that the surplus channel to Kovilambakkam lake through Vellakkal has vanished over the decades due to urbanisation. With paths to other waterbodies also blocked, floodwater had inundated the residential locality.

Arjun Shankar N., a resident and volunteer, Medavakkam, said “A breach in the Medavakkam lake in Vadakkupattu had led to the deluge in the region. We found that breaches to two other Thangals (small water bodies) along with Medavakkam lake had inundated the area. There is no surplus weir arrangement in the large water body in Medavakkam.”

Arun said the Water Resources Department (WRD) must establish the lost link to Kovilambakkam through Vellakkal by constructing a concrete channel. There is an urgent need to construct a flood regulator to alleviate floods. Another link should also be provided between Anai Eri and Madipakkam lake, he said.