WHEN RAIN IS A PAIN
Govt built storm drains but they don’t work
Drainage Infra Found Wanting As Parts Of Tambaram, Selaiyur, Madipakkam Go Under Water, Bringing Back Memories Of 2015
Ramesh Shankar & Siddharth Prabhakar TNN
29.11.2019
The spell of rain in Tambaram and nearby suburbs on Thursday laid bare the truth — stormwater drains do not matter when there is a heavy downpour. Areas that had stormwater drains and localities that did not have them were inundated, alike.
In Chitalapakkam, ill-planned construction of drains a few months before the monsoon left residents stranded in their homes. In Tambaram, Selaiyur and beyond, residents woke up to rising water levels on the streets.
People skipped offices not because it rained heavily, but because they could not venture out on the flooded streets. “There was knee-deep water in single-storey houses. Tambaram municipality has not constructed a channel to drain the excess water from Selaiyur lake,” said R Raguraman, a Selaiyur resident.
During the 2015 floods, people in these localities had to take refuge on terraces. “There is no planning, no learning. Only 60% of the water drained by the evening,” Raguraman said.
A few kilometers away on Velachery Main Road, the state highways had built stormwater drains but without any inlets. TOI saw an earthmover breaking a newly laid drain near the Selaiyur police office to let the water pass. “Inlets to the drain were made but they were blocked. Sewage is being let into the drains by nearby commercial establishments that blocked the flow,” said a highways official.
In Chitalapakkam, cut-and-cover drains built by public works department (PWD) and panchayat failed. “Three lakes in the vicinity were not properly desilted. Whenever it rains, the lakes overflow,” said Sunil Jayaram, a local resident.
While these were outside corporation limits, the situation was no different in the city. Rajesh Nagar First Street in Pallikaranai was under water for hours. At Tamaraikulam in Pallikaranai, people were confined to their homes. “There are storm drains nearby, but on our street the corporation has not built any,” said a resident of VJ Enclave in Pallikaranai.
Kuberan Nagar in Madipakkam has drains, but it went under half-a-feet of rainwater that remained stagnant for four hours. “Water has entered our homes,” tweeted Shanmughapriya, a resident of 11th Street.
“Drains have been constructed, but some work is pending at the end where the water has to drain into a canal. Kuberan Nagar is the only locality in Madipakkam where there was water logging,” he said a corporation official.
SAME OLD STORY: A spell of around 150mm rain was enough to throw regular life out of gear in the city’s southern parts. As stormwater drains failed, busy roads and residential areas were flooded. At Selaiyur, an earthmover was used to break open a drain to let water pass
Govt built storm drains but they don’t work
Drainage Infra Found Wanting As Parts Of Tambaram, Selaiyur, Madipakkam Go Under Water, Bringing Back Memories Of 2015
Ramesh Shankar & Siddharth Prabhakar TNN
29.11.2019
The spell of rain in Tambaram and nearby suburbs on Thursday laid bare the truth — stormwater drains do not matter when there is a heavy downpour. Areas that had stormwater drains and localities that did not have them were inundated, alike.
In Chitalapakkam, ill-planned construction of drains a few months before the monsoon left residents stranded in their homes. In Tambaram, Selaiyur and beyond, residents woke up to rising water levels on the streets.
People skipped offices not because it rained heavily, but because they could not venture out on the flooded streets. “There was knee-deep water in single-storey houses. Tambaram municipality has not constructed a channel to drain the excess water from Selaiyur lake,” said R Raguraman, a Selaiyur resident.
During the 2015 floods, people in these localities had to take refuge on terraces. “There is no planning, no learning. Only 60% of the water drained by the evening,” Raguraman said.
A few kilometers away on Velachery Main Road, the state highways had built stormwater drains but without any inlets. TOI saw an earthmover breaking a newly laid drain near the Selaiyur police office to let the water pass. “Inlets to the drain were made but they were blocked. Sewage is being let into the drains by nearby commercial establishments that blocked the flow,” said a highways official.
In Chitalapakkam, cut-and-cover drains built by public works department (PWD) and panchayat failed. “Three lakes in the vicinity were not properly desilted. Whenever it rains, the lakes overflow,” said Sunil Jayaram, a local resident.
While these were outside corporation limits, the situation was no different in the city. Rajesh Nagar First Street in Pallikaranai was under water for hours. At Tamaraikulam in Pallikaranai, people were confined to their homes. “There are storm drains nearby, but on our street the corporation has not built any,” said a resident of VJ Enclave in Pallikaranai.
Kuberan Nagar in Madipakkam has drains, but it went under half-a-feet of rainwater that remained stagnant for four hours. “Water has entered our homes,” tweeted Shanmughapriya, a resident of 11th Street.
“Drains have been constructed, but some work is pending at the end where the water has to drain into a canal. Kuberan Nagar is the only locality in Madipakkam where there was water logging,” he said a corporation official.
SAME OLD STORY: A spell of around 150mm rain was enough to throw regular life out of gear in the city’s southern parts. As stormwater drains failed, busy roads and residential areas were flooded. At Selaiyur, an earthmover was used to break open a drain to let water pass
