CHENNAI : Usually residents of Chitlapakkam keep indoors when water from the Selaiyur lake floods the area. But this time cave-ins, prompted by unfinished storm water drains, have cooped up residents of some streets, even as the monsoon is on. Around 10 families in Sethunarayanan Street were not able to leave their homes by vehicles or on foot with various parts of the road caving in.
The residents claim that in a span of five hours, around three feet of road disappeared in front of a house where three senior citizens are living in Sethunarayanan Street. "Only a foot of road remains in front of their house now. If the rains persist, even that might cave in, isolating them completely," said Lakshmi Krishnakumar, a resident.
It is learnt that Collector P Ponniah surveyed the area in the morning and ensured deployment of 30 workers to stop cave-ins. However, the residents claimed that despite placement of boards along the sides, the cave-ins are yet to be arrested.
"The Collector told residents to stay indoors till the situation is brought under control," said Balachandran, a local activist, who had earlier been jailed for questioning discrepancies in the storm water drain project.
Cave-ins were also experienced in sections of Pamban Swamigal Street, but only commercial buildings have been affected there.