Two years after, Tambaram still submerged in problems

Yogesh Kabirdoss| TNN | Updated: Oct 22, 2017, 00:23 IST

Chennai: It is almost two years since the floods of December 2015 ravaged Tambaram and its surrounding areas, but the devastated neighbourhoods are yet to recover.

The real estate market, which had been booming till the disaster struck, has dropped drastically, with few takers for properties at throwaway prices. Hundreds of families had moved out after the deluge, turning some of the localities into bachelor's havens, thanks to substantial drop in rentals.

But few lessons have been learned and the authorities have done little to ensure residents are assured of their safety. The scores of encroachments along the many waterbodies that were demolished have returned and could hamper free flow of rainwater when this year's northeast monsoon, which is hardly a fortnight away, sets in.

Most residents say the topography of the region has been completely altered, forcing people to change the way buildings are constructed. Several independent houses in these areas now have stilts to prevent floodwater entering.

Narayanan, who runs a laundry at Bharati Nagar in Old Perungalathur, said many landlords had shifted to the first or second floors from the ground floor. "Several families who had been staying on rent in these localities shifted to other areas after the floods. They have been replaced by bachelors who are drawn by the drop in rentals," he said.

In Harita Enclave at West Tambaram, touted as the swankiest nieghbourhood in the area, many who vacated independent homes are yet to return. Those who remain seem to be preparing for the worst. While Thangam, a retired teacher, has built a room on the top floor of her house to be used as a shelter, her neighbour A V Mohanan has purchased an 11th floor apartment in a Pallavaram complex that he plans to shift into if Harita Enclave, where water levels surged to more than 12ft in December 2015, submerges again.

Mohanan says property prices which had fallen by half have not revived. "An independent bungalow sold for around `1.70 crore, just before the floods. Now, a similar property is available for `75 lakh, but there are no buyers," he said.

Unfortunately, those who should have learned most from the disaster do not seem to care. A visit by TOI to areas like Mudichur and Varadharajapuram showed many waterbodies have been occupied again, which authorities ignored.

M R Illango of Varadharajapuram alleged that construction was being carried out with impunity. "The encroachments were demolished to ensure flow of rainwater is not hindered. But, they have returned due to poor monitoring by the administration," he said. Channels have not been desilted and are now covered by thick vegetation, he added.

All attempts, including through email, by TOI to reach Kancheepuram collector P Ponniah for comments on the issue failed.