CHENNAI: The village of Adayalampattu has a stormwater drain. However, even a year after drain works were completed, it has not been linked to any waterbody.
In December last year, work on the stormwater drain that runs through Adayalampattu village near Maduravoyal, was stopped after the concrete drains were constructed.
Adayalampattu is an upcoming residential locality in the city’s western suburbs that consists of numerous apartments and residential layouts, and is home to around 1,800 families.
However, the last leg of the project which includes the connection of the stormwater drain to the Cooum river and the closing of open manholes, has been left incomplete. The last connection, about a kilometre long, that had to be made across Union Road for the water to reach the Cooum, has not been made by the contractor due to alleged payment issues.
“During the recent rains, water was found stagnating in the unconnected concrete drains, in some areas up to six feet. Parents are scared to let children play outside because they might fall into the open manholes”, said a member of the VNR Milford Association and a resident of the village.
Meanwhile, another part of the unconnected drain has allowed water to stagnate in the 8th cross street of the Royal City layout. “Earlier, there was drainage too that got mixed with the rain water and it all used to stagnate on 8th cross street.
The smell kept people from using the road completely. Then, we wrote to the concerned apartments and they plugged the drainage connections but the rain water continues to stagnate there”, said Arockiasekar D, president of the Millenium town plot and flat owners association of Adayalampattu. While the Block Development Officer did not respond to calls, a district administration official said the issue will be sorted out as soon as possible after discussion with residents.