Flood mitigation model of Ripon Buildings to be adopted at bus stands

After the engineers designed and constructed a large sump and installed pumps ahead of the northeast monsoon in 2022, Ripon Buildings has not been flooded

In a bid to reduce waterlogging in bus stands and bus depots in various parts of Chennai, the civic agencies are planning to adopt the successful model implemented by the Greater Chennai Corporation to reduce waterlogging in Ripon Buildings.

The Corporation had built large sumps near Ripon Buildings and installed motors to pump water to the waterways such as Buckingham Canal to reduce waterlogging during the rain. Ripon Buildings became prone to flooding particularly after the construction of the Metro Rail station. After the engineers designed and constructed the large sump and installed pumps ahead of the monsoon in 2022, Ripon Buildings has not been flooded.

More than 50% of the bus stands of Metropolitan Transport Corporation in more than 35 locations have been affected by waterlogging in a similar fashion during the monsoon. The State government has planned to launch flood mitigation work in all bus stands and complete the work before the northeast monsoon this year, the officials said.

Waterlogging had become a regular problem in bus stands at Thiruvanmiyur, Anna Nagar West, T. Nagar, Kannagi Nagar, Broadway, Mullai Nagar, M.K.B. Nagar, Perambur, Medavakkam and Kilkattalai in the past few years.

The State government held a meeting on Monday to explore ways to mitigate flooding in bus stands and bus depots in Chennai. It was decided to replicate the flood control measures adopted in Ripon Buildings in those places, the officials said.