Chennai: Normal life in the city and its suburbs was affected with the overnight heavy rains, leaving several roads and low-lying areas flooded. Water-logging along with rain-battered roads forced vehicles to ply at a snail's pace in the arterial roads including on Anna Salai, Inner Ring Road, Sardar Patel Road and EVR Periyar Salai.
“Chennai recorded close to 8 cm rainfall on Thursday and the heavy rains resulted in water-logging for a few hours. But by evening, the situation was normal as water was drained,” said corporation commissioner Vikram Kapur. Twelve subways suffered inundation and stormwater was pumped out using high power motor pumps. Several avenue trees also got uprooted and cleared within a few hours. We have also positioned night duty squads with equipment in identified low lying areas, he said.
“It took more than 50 minutes to cross the Madhya Kailash junction from Saidapet as vehicles moved at a snail's pace on Sardar Patel Road,” lamented N. Chandran, an IT company employee working in Tidel Park.
Taramani was also hit by the downpour with many localities inundated. Residents of V. V. Koil Salai were left in the lurch after the street was flooded with rainwater. Similarly, Velachery Ram Nagar, Virugambakkam-Logaiah street and several other low lying areas were also flooded.
“Repeated approaches to corporation officials to repair the roads in our wards have fallen on deaf ears. Thursday's rain exposed how poorly the drains in our area function,” said K. Ranganayakalu, a resident of ward 172 in Kottur.
Rainwater flooded houses at Ernavur in North Chennai. Mettu Street in 4th ward of the corporation witnessed complete inundation. “Everyone was forced to move out as our houses are filled with water. Our properties are stuck inside,” said K. Venkataiah, a resident.
Meanwhile, local administration minister S.P. Velumani and mayor Saidai Duraisamy also inspected stagnation points on Choolaimedu Periyar high road, Pathmanaban Nagar Tamizhar road, MMDA colony Kamala Nehru Nagar, Vinayagapuram and instructed officials to take actions to drain water.
The heavy rain also uprooted 14 trees. Three branches also fell down due to the heavy winds. However, the trees were cleared without creating any disruptions. Corporation officials said that water-logging is being cleared using suction pumps and subways are in the focus to ensure that stagnation is cleared. Officials also added that any trees fallen down are being removed using electrical saws.
In north Chennai, vehicular movement was disrupted on several stretches including on the Perambur flyover, Binny Mill road, Moolakadai and Basin Bridge due to waterlogging.
“Traffic moved at a snail's pace on the Vysarpadi Jeeva railway station and Dr Ambedkar College stretch of Erukancherry high road due to waterlogging and damaged roads,” said T.K. Saravanan, a resident of Vysarpadi.
