CHENNAI: Kundrathur Panchayat officials had to break open portions of the stormwater drain of Mehta Nagar main road to allow rain water to drain into vacant plots. The open drain is unconnected and is at a greater height than the buildings, resulting in water overflowing into houses.
The open drain is the only one for the area, intended to collect water from around 15 sub-lanes including Harish Nagar road that branch out from the 35-feet-wide Mehta Nagar main road which in turn leads to the Pallavaram-Kundrathur road.
However, the poorly designed structure has proved to be counter intuitive on multiple occasions, resulting in water stagnation or flooding depending on the rains, claim residents. The recently developed residential locality has multiple gated communities and apartments where over 500 families reside.
After the recent rains, stagnant water did not drain for two days, after which the residents persuaded panchayat officials to break the retaining wall in two different spots on the drain and allow water to drain into vacant plots nearby.
“These were once agricultural lands which are at a lower level than the road and the stormwater drain. So they easily get flooded not only from water flowing off the roads but also from the overflowing storm water drains,” said Pugalvendhan V, a resident nearby and civic activist.
“Instead of developing a well-connected storm water drain system, the panchayat was focusing on building an arch in the neighbourhood,” Pugalvendhan added.
When contacted, panchayat officials said that the residents forced them to break open the drain. “The water would have drained in two days but residents were frightened that it would result in flooding if it rains any further so we agreed,” they said. Responding to questions on where the drain was connected to, he said, “We are making plans to connect it to a sewage treatment plant nearby.”