Chennai:Heavy overnight rain inundated several parts of Chennai, with the city recording an average rainfall of 70.25 mm in the 24 hours ending 6 am on Wednesday. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) received 1,212 complaints related to rain-related issues by 5 am, even as officials deployed high-capacity pumps to tackle waterlogging.

Despite substantial expenditure on stormwater drains and flood mitigation, residents and civic activists questioned the effectiveness of the measures, citing persistent inundation in areas such as T. Nagar and the Panagal Park neighbourhood. They called for the publication of the Thirupugazh Committee report and a public consultation to assess the impact of the works and identify gaps before further rainfall.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast further heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in Chennai and neighbouring districts, with a low-pressure area likely to form over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast.

Vadapalani recorded the highest rainfall at 132.9 mm, followed by Saidapet at 125.2 mm and Alandur at 119.4 mm. Madipakkam received 114.6 mm, Maduravoyal 112.5 mm, Valasaravakkam 109.6 mm, Nungambakkam 106.8 mm and Adyar 104.1 mm. Northern areas received comparatively less rainfall, with Ennore recording 39 mm, Kargil Nagar 30 mm and Tiruvottiyur 22.8 mm.

The persistent showers prompted the authorities to declare a holiday for schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts on Wednesday.

B. Kannan, secretary of the T. Nagar Residents Welfare Association, questioned why T. Nagar continued to face waterlogging despite being among the first areas to receive the Smart City treatment, involving expenditure of hundreds of crores. The inundation, he said, highlighted the need to reassess the effectiveness of the infrastructure works.

Civic activist V. Rama Rao of Nanganallur said the Thirupugazh Committee report on flood mitigation should be made public, questioning why it remained undisclosed.

Meanwhile, GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said the civic body had deployed additional teams and high-capacity pumps to tackle waterlogging. Three 100-horsepower motors were being used to remove stagnant water in AGS Colony, identified as a major waterlogging hotspot. The corporation distributed 6,000 food packets to rain-affected people in Virugambakkam on Wednesday morning..

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