Flood-affected residents prepare for public consultations on the draft of the Third Master Plan for climate-resilient city

Residents demand climate resilient planning and better infrastructure in flood prone areas as Chennai prepares Third Master Plan.

Residents in flood prone areas have started demanding climate resilient planning and better infrastructure project implementation as the civic agencies are preparing for public consultation of the draft of the Third Master Plan after Pongal.

Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in the final stages of the preparation of the draft of the Third Master Plan for 1189 sq km of city and suburbs and is expected to complete the draft after the north east monsoon. The draft of the plan and the shelf of projects to be proposed for resolving civic issues are expected to be released after Pongal.

Federation of Varadharajapuram Welfare Associations president V.Rajasekaran said the civic agencies have failed to construct a flood proof public transit system such as a new railway line or metro rail on the strip of land, 50 metre wide, along the 62 km Outer Ring Road from Vandalur to Minjur during the second master plan period, which started in 2008. “Lakhs of residents in flood prone areas such as Varadharajapuram will get better connectivity during disaster events by construction of a flood-proof, affordable transit system in the strip of land from Vandalur to Minjur. We also need Avadi to get better railway station infrastructure to help residents in our area. This will decongest Central Railway Station. Avadi is close by,” said Mr.Rajasekaran.

Korattur resident Senthil said the last few years in the Second Master Plan period has not witnessed any solution to the basic problem of flooding. “The Third Master Plan draft is being readied now, but the problem of flooding has not changed. In fact it has worsened. We need better planning, projects, and implementation by various agencies,” said Mr.Senthil.

Otteri resident Madan Kumar, who is an advocate campaigning for civic issues in north Chennai, said flooding of houses in their area in north Chennai have occurred during the Second Master Plan period in the past 16 years because of climate change. “Residents need proper public consultation in all the Chennai Corporation zones after the draft of the Third Master Plan is prepared, so that the planning improves and the list of projects focusses on strengthening climate resilence in our area with a large number of poor people. We want all agencies to implement better projects based on the draft of the Third Master Plan. We also need better playgrounds in north Chennai,” said Mr.Madan Kumar.

Velachery resident S.Kumararaja said more than three lakh residents in the flood prone area need metro rail connectivity to other areas of the city. “Velachery bus stand does not have basic infrastructre, no bus bays, toilets, facilities for senior citizens, including benches. The existing bus stand can not accommodate all the buses. The Third Master Plan should focus on planning for climate resilent transportation infrastructure in flood prone areas. We also demanded better planning to conserve Palikaranai marshland during the public consultation for the Second Master Plan in 2008. But the ecosensitive areas in our city have deteriorated, reduced in area and have not been restored properly in the past few years,” said Mr.Kumararaja.

Pointing to pollution caused by sewage in the ecosensitive Pallikaranai marshland, Mr.Kumararaja said the residents need a dedicated sewage pipeline for Velachery and better sewage treatment infrastructure in flood prone areas such as Velachery to improve climate resilience. “Various agencies are responsible for letting sewage in the marshland. This increases the silt, increasing flood risk. Buckingham canal too has reduced to 20 feet in Indira Nagar. The civic agencies themselves have constructed concrete wall, restricting the width. It is more than 100 feet a few km away. We need better planning for climate resilience. We need a solution,” said Mr.Kumararaja.