CHENNAI: The South Chennai’s bustling IT corridor with its gleaming glass towers, sprawling highways, and expanding Metro lines symbolises a booming sector that has transformed many lives and altered the landscape of the region. But beneath this facade of growth and modernity, lie neighbourhoods that are grappling with systemic infrastructure issues.
Flooding, traffic woes, pollution, water scarcity, poor civic infrastructure and drainage facility are some of the longstanding issues that the residents want the new government to fix.
A mere forecast of heavy rain during northeast monsoon every year is enough to trigger their fear. Vehicles are parked on flyovers in anticipation of a deluge, residents stock sandbags and move electronic appliances to upper floors wherever possible to avoid damage from potential inundation.
In 2025, several erstwhile flood-prone areas, including AGS colony, Tansi Nagar, Ram Nagar, among others, did not face much trouble due to relatively less rain. In 2023 and 2024, these areas faced severe inundation, and in some places, it lasted for even more than a week.
The residents said the rainwater runoff from areas, including these areas, and from Kallukuttai lake in Perungudi, drains through the six-vent channel in Velachery.
Despite a court order directing the removal of encroachments (largely debris) along the channel, the corporation, instead of clearing it, used the debris to create bunds along the stretch. The residents warn that the same debris could once again get washed into the channel, obstructing the flow and increasing the risk of flooding. Though GCC constructs stormwater drains, they said flooding could be prevented only if the flow is good through the six-vent channel.
The residents urged officials to clear encroachments along the Perungudi MRTS road and the heavily truncated Velachery lake, which is now split by the 100-feet road. Geetha Ganesh, secretary of AGS Colony Residents Welfare Association in Velachery, said the authorities should construct the southern side wall of Velachery lake and prevent unauthorised sewage discharge into it.
Pallikaranai is also flooded during the rains as a bridge in Karapakkam blocks surplus water from 54 lakes from draining in the sea through Okkiyam Maduvu, Buckingham Canal, and Muttukadu. “These areas were developed after the formation of the IT corridor. Many streets in the area are damaged due to works undertaken by Metro Water,” said A Francis, president of federation of Thoraipakkam Welfare Associations.
Being one of the sensitive ecosystems, Pallikaranai marshland has divided the people in the region. While environmentalists demand enhanced protection to the marshland, the residents and plot owners expect the government to allow constructions on patta land. Several residents staged a protest in January opposing a circular from Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority that halted building permissions within 1km radius of the marshland.
Despite rapid residential growth on the Old Mahabalipuram Road, infrastructure lags behind, with sewage treatment capacity far below the projected demand of 360 MLD. The residents face chronic water scarcity, heavy tanker reliance, and poor waste management. Federation of OMR Residents Associations wants the authorities to create underground drainage systems apart from commissioning new STPs with 100 MLD capacity.
The dumpyard in Perungudi not only remains an eyesore next to the Pallikaranai marshlands, but is also chief source of pollution and a serious health concern. “The residents demand an end to the dumping and handing over of dumpyard land to the forest department to be maintained as Ramsar site along with the rest of the marshland with all encroachments cleared,” said Francis.
Other demands include installation of additional CCTV cameras and increased patrolling by police. Pointing to the menace of illegal parking along the commercialised 100-feet road, many residents said the police must better regulate parking or construct a multi-level parking lot. Widening of OMR, smart signals, fast-tracking of Metro Phase-2 and increasing the frequency of MTC buses are the other key demands of the residents.