CHENNAI: Overnight rainfall, averaging 7.03 cm between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, left parts of central and south Chennai waterlogged. The Greater Chennai Corporation’s Integrated Command and Control Centre received nearly 1,200 complaints, most of them related to waterlogging, during this period.
According to the command centre, rainfall of over 10 cm was recorded each in Nungambakkam, T Nagar, Saidapet, Alandur, Perungudi, Velachery, Vadapalani, Korattur, Valasaravakkam and Nerkundram. Pumping out the stagnant water began on Wednesday morning after the rain subsided, and most areas were clear by noon.
T Nagar was among the worst affected, with stagnant water up to two feet, which came down to around one foot by noon. Corporation officials told TNIE that several stormwater drain links were blocked during Chennai Metro Rail work, obstructing the flow of rainwater into the Mambalam Canal. Meanwhile, the canal was flowing at full capacity on Wednesday.
The corporation deployed six to seven vehicles, including tractor-mounted pumps, along North Usman Road, near Natesan Park and around Panagal Park, and cleared the inundation by evening. Minister N Anand inspected the work at several places in T Nagar.
At Saligramam, water entered houses where the road is at a higher level than the houses. Motor pumps were used to clear the water. Saidapet, Virugambakkam, Aziz Nagar in Kodambakkam and Valluvar Kottam in Nungambakkam also saw inundation, which was cleared later in the day.
In the south, AGS Colony in Velachery was among the worst hit, with boats deployed on Tuesday night, and in Tansi Nagar on Wednesday morning. Geetha Ganesh, secretary of AGS Colony Residents’ Welfare Association, said the low-lying neighbourhood is next to Veerangal Odai, which carries runoff from the Alandur and Adyar zones, so it floods repeatedly when the channel fills.
She had urged minister R Kumar to have rainwater flows studied by experts from Anna University and IIT Madras to find a permanent solution. Parts of the colony, including 3rd street, 8th cross street and 6th cross street, stayed under water until noon, and the inundation was fully cleared later in the day.
Kumar told reporters AGS Colony and Tansi Nagar are low-lying areas that act like basins, so long-term measures would be needed before next year’s monsoon. For now, he said, pumping is the only solution.
Kandanchavadi near BSR Mall, Mahatma Gandhi Street in Thoraipakkam along OMR and Dwaraka Nagar in Manali New Town were also affected.
Mayor R Priya inspected dewatering works in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zone and monitored GCC’s ICCC.
