Residents raise concerns over delay in flood mitigation work near Chennai Metro Rail construction sites

Residents raise concerns over delay in flood mitigation work near Chennai Metro Rail construction sites

Starting this week, a committee of technical experts has begun visiting city neighbourhoods to assess the impact of Chennai Metro Rail work on stormwater drains.

According to estimates, residents in more than 50 localities are likely to be affected by flooding this monsoon season due to ongoing metro rail work. Those living in areas such as Anna Nagar, T. Nagar, Kodambakkam, Porur, Otteri, Purasawalkam, Nungambakkam, and Thoraipakkam have demanded that civic agencies take measures to prevent flooding this Northeast monsoon.

Anna Nagar West Extension resident R. Kamaraj said that residents in the area have urged officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Chennai Metro Rail, and the Highways Department to restore the stretch damaged by metro rail work, from Koyambedu grade separator to Padi grade separator.

“The flood level reached four feet on roads such as East Main Road and North Main Road. Most of the residents living on the ground floor of our apartment complex have vacated due to the risk of flooding caused by metro rail work. Our complex has 48 apartments, 16 of which are on the ground floor. Ten of the 16 residents have already vacated. Expensive household items were damaged when water levels rose inside the houses during a rain spell lasting just 15 minutes. The problem of flooding has worsened only after metro rail work began in the area,” he said.

Otteri resident Madhan Kumar said that the construction of the Otteri and Purasawalkam metro stations has led to civic issues, particularly increased water stagnation in the area. “We request officials of the GCC and Chennai Metro Rail to improve coordination in order to prevent flooding of roads in the area. Once the roads are flooded, traffic comes to a standstill in these already congested areas,” he said.

Nungambakkam resident R.B. Saravanan said officials should ensure that all roads near metro rail construction sites are properly paved ahead of the onset of the Northeast monsoon. “We are worried about flooding this year. Civic agencies should prevent flooding on stretches such as Sterling Road in Nungambakkam. In previous years, the stretch from Vadapalani to Kodambakkam was slushy due to metro rail work. Motorcycle riders avoided the stretch during the monsoon. After the roads were paved, the civic issues were resolved to a great extent. They should not dig up the roads again before the onset of the Northeast monsoon,” he said.

A section of residents demanded that the GCC and Chennai Metro Rai take preventive measures during the Southwest monsoon season too, starting this month, pointing to the civic issues reported in various stretches during the recent spell of rains.