Even as the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and various civic agencies have started installing heavy duty pumps in flood-prone areas, residents have complained about a delay in taking up projects to ensure their during floods.
A. Francis, president of the Federation of Thoraipakkam Residents’ Welfare Associations, said a portion of the existing arterial roads that get flooded near Pallikaranai marshland were proposed to be converted into elevated roads to help residents evacuate.
“The GCC and Highways Department should have coordinated after the 2023 flood, when residents were marooned. Had they started early, monsoon preparedness would have been better. Now, it is too late. They are in the Detailed Project Report stage for the elevated roads. So, we request that the GCC send boats to areas such as Thoraipakkam and Anand Nagar to help residents evacuate during floods. In 2023, boats reached only after a few days. We need more boats to reach arterial roads such as Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) to take children to safer places during such emergencies,” he added.
T.K. Shanmugham, president, Federation of North Chennai Residents’ Welfare Associations, said: “As the storm-water drain work in Muthamizh Nagar in ward 35 has not been completed, the GCC should check if the water will flow from the area towards the Buckingham Canal without any hindrance. The flooding is usually over 3 ft. We have complained about port, power plant and industrial facilities encroaching upon 8,000 acres on the Kosasthalaiyar floodplain. This has increased the risk of floods. Residents need more boats during such emergencies. We did not get enough boats during the previous floods,” he said.
Anna Nagar ward 104 councillor T.V. Shemmozhi said heavy duty pumps were stationed at the ward a few days ago to pump water from flooded areas. “We have readied relief centres inside a church for flood-affected residents,” he added.
Ambattur ward 84 councillor J. John said GCC should construct additional toilets at schools that were expected to be used as relief centres. “We do not have adequate toilets at the two schools that have been identified as relief centres in my ward. The GCC is yet to complete infrastructure projects to mitigate flooding such as railway culverts in Korattur. So, we need alternatives to improve the safety of residents during floods,” he added.