CHENNAI: The number of rainy days (above 2.5 mm rain) in November this year was among the highest of all time. Nungambakkam recorded 23 days of 2.5 mm and above rainfall and Meenambakkam recorded it for 22 days. The corporation handled the situation better compared to other years. There were three major spells of rain – Nov 6-7, 17-18, 26-27. All three times, water was drained out from most streets and subways within hours.
While in 2015, it took almost a month to clear water from Madley subway in Mambalam, it was cleared in less than six hours this time. The civic body studied areas where water stagnation is common, including West Mambalam and Pulianthope, and made alternative arrangements to drain water.
A senior corporation official said, “We were more focused on reducing time taken for water to drain out to the respective disposal points. Since we now know which areas are prone to waterlogging, we have been taking efforts to ensure water drains faster in those areas. The drain time in T Nagar was over 12 hours. After making alternative arrangements, it was reduced to 5-6 hours.
In Pulianthope, another area with recurrent waterlogging, officials found that drains on either side of Pulianthope High Road were narrow, insufficient to carry water to its disposal point at Gandhi canal. As a temporary solution, the top slabs of the drain were opened to ensure free flow of water.
More than 900 pumps were arranged to drain water. “One of the major challenges was the helpline number- 1913. During the first spell on November 7, the number was down due to telecom issues. We then increased the number of lines and attended as many as 41,000 calls in the month. This is more than what the State helpline received,” the official said.
Meanwhile, though the civic body claims to have desilted 33 per cent of the stormwater drains, many areas experienced waterlogging.When asked about it, an official said they were mapping areas with most waterlogging to come up with solutions.
Studied low-lying areas
The civic body studied low-lying areas, where water stagnation is common including West Mambam and Pulianthope and made altere arrangements to drain water.