Record June rain but unfinished drain work floods some Chennai areas

CHENNAI: A few hundred metres of missing links in Chennai's storm water drain network left many parts of the city flooded on Monday following record June rain. Besides, many of the drains were choked with silt, garbage and sewage as the civic authorities were caught unawares by the downpour overnight that saw Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recording 9cm and 16cm rain for a 24-hour period.
Official data shows that the missing links in the city's drain network include 500 metres under the flood relief project, 240 metres under Singara Chennai phase-1, and 70 metres under Singara Chennai phase-2. The result: Parts of K K Nagar, Pulianthope, Madhavaram, Royapuram, Tondiarpet and Ambattur were inundated.

The city overall recorded complaints of water stagnation at 80 locations and in one subway. All of these were cleared by evening, officials said.
"They are yet to connect drains and the work has been tardy. Why should the corporation have such inefficient contractors," said Neela Kannan, president of the Alliance of Residents Welfare Associations in the city. In Madhavaram's Thanikachalam Nagar P Block 1st Main Road, the storm water drain work has been abandoned for two months, he said.
Ramanujam Street in Tondiarpet was completely flooded though a storm water drain had been constructed there only a few months ago. "They have not connected it properly and the silt catch pits were not declogged," said R Ramesh, a civic activist.
In 2022, the corporation had advanced desilting of storm water drains to May in anticipation of sudden rain. As a result, the city did not witness much flooding last year. However, this year, nothing was done and the drains were clogged with plastic, leaves and other garbage.
"We should have anticipated June rains. Bangalore had sudden showers too and it was flooded," said R Suryanarayanan of Pulianthope. The Greater Chennai Corporation had just finished construction of new drains at Basin Power House Road and Raja Muthiah Salai but water has not been flowing here. "These drains are filled with sewage and water has not been flowing. The officials must check this," he said.
Municipal administration department secretary Shiv Das Meena, at a press meet, said there were some gaps in storm water drains in some places. "We have sanctioned storm water drain projects worth ₹232 crore split into 40 packages. This will be finished in three months and all the stagnation issues will be addressed," Shiv Das Meena said.