New bid to fight floods in T Nagar

Officials working to discharge water into Mambalam canal at three points instead of one
Work underway to prevent flooding in T Nagar, in Chennai on Wednesday | P Jawahar
Work underway to prevent flooding in T Nagar, in Chennai on Wednesday | P Jawahar

CHENNAI: With T Nagar remaining one of the worst rain-affected areas, corporation officials are attempting alternative ways to dispose water. Instead of the single point of discharge for rainwater through GN Chetty Road to the Mambalam canal, officials are working to discharge water into the canal at three points. For this, runoff water is now being diverted through pipes and temporary road cuts but if successful in the coming spell of rains, it will become a permanent solution.

“We are trying many methods to dispose water. One is through Kalaivanar flyover. If it works, we will construct permanent drains,” said a Corporation official. On Monday, work was undertaken at various places in T Nagar.

At present, surplus run-off from the Rangarajapuram area passes through a culvert under the Kodambakkam-Mambalam railway track and reaches North Usman Road. This, with water from streets off Bazullah Road, are forced to drain at a single disposal point off GN Chetty Road near the Gurudwara to the Mambalam canal which in turn joins the Adyar. Now, surplus water is also taken to the canal via disposal points near Vidyodaya main road and under Kalaivanar flyover. Officials expect this method to bring relief to T Nagar residents.

In areas like Bazullah Road, corporation staff found that stormwater drains are filled with sewage with no space for rainwater. Corporation officials said that while the issue of stormwater drains carrying sewage will be taken up soon, due to shortage of time before the next spell of rains, staff are finding alternative solutions to work around it.

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