Flood relief: Civic body asks central team for Rs 1,000 crore

“The damage to infrastructure post December 1 is between Rs 3,000 and 4,000 crore by our estimates. We expect the Central team to sanction the amount as requested by the Chief Minister in the second memorandum and we expect to be given at least Rs 1,000 crore,” said an official.

Starting from P.S. Sivaswami Salai in Mylapore, the team surveyed the extensive drainage system rectification work undertaken by Metro Water there, after nearly 70 per cent of the road caved in due to drainage pipes collapsing.

The team’s next stop was at Kotturpuram slum board tenements where they were presented with a picture gallery showing the locality under water. Andal, one of the residents who got to interact with the team, told DC that she had informed Prasad’s team that they had not received the compensation from the government. “Even if we are given the Rs 5,000 compensation, I told the officer that it is nowhere near enough and that we need close to Rs 50,000,” she said.

Saidapet, the team's convoy was hounded by Aathma Nagar residents, who in recent weeks had their dwellings razed down by the government. M. Manjula and M. Vedavalli were only two of the dozens who had gathered there, hoping to be given an opportunity to speak with the team members, only to be pushed away by officials. In fact, one official was spotted telling the residents to “not utter a word” because the team had come from Delhi.

The team then proceeded to visit Gangai Amman Koil street area in Jafferkhanpet where the Central team members interacted with a family whose one-storey house was submerged till the ground level. Vembuli Amman Koil street in Virugambakkam and Prakasam Salai in Janaki Nagar of Valasaravakkam areas were other locations the team covered.