Tamil Nadu’s capital city Chennai is to be marked as the worst in drainage system especially the Storm Water Drains. Even a small rain spoils the city with water stagnation in roads and water clogging in drains. In the recent 50 years many Governments have changed, Leaders have changed and Officers have changed, but the complaint of water stagnation in roads of olden Chennai and water clogging in drainage pipelines is the same these years. Many newspapers from those days to Television channels and other electronic Medias in recent days have marked this issue often in their news editions.
Various Governments during their regime had advised the concerned authorities to initiate proper action to rectify the water stagnation on roads with proper drainage system. The result had been that the concerned departments had made only a temporary solution to clear the water stagnation and water clogging. As an example areas like Arcot Road opposite to Vadapalani Bus Stand and Vijaya Hospital, Areas around Anna Fly-over, Nelson Manickam Road, many part of T.Nagar including Bus Terminus area, Panagal Park, Madley road sub-way, Poonamalle High Road near Dasaprakash Hotel, Kilpauk Medical College, NSK Nagar, various parts of Parry corner and Broadway, too-many places in North Chennai and many other places.
Photographs published in this news article have been taken in Arcot Road opposite to Vadapalani Bus Stand. The water stagnation in these photos are only stagnation of Sewage water and not rain water. These photographs were taken on July 02, 2013 when there was not symptom of rain on that day. Passers on these roads are scared to walk or move on their vehicles, since there were earlier records which say that the man-hole was kept open and persons have either lost their lives or served injuries. These water stagnation causes slow movement of vehicles causing inconvenience during emergencies where Ambulances and other vehicles especially vehicles carrying school students and office goers are forced to be out of their stipulated time of attendance.
Though the Ministers of a Government or Higher officials in the Secretariat would find it difficult to inspect each and every part of the state, they should make sure that the local officials initiate necessary steps to make proper drainage system and clear the water stagnation. Our reporter while speaking to a local official of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply explained that the size of the pipeline put in yesteryear’s for pumping drainage water is insufficient for pumping drainage for today’s population. He suggested that a proper survey should be made by the Higher Officials and Elected Members of the Government and has discussions with well-developed countries and takes their advice to relay the drainage system.
Hope the Government and respective departments would initiate immediate action to rectify the improper drainage system of Chennai city to avoid future inconvenience of the people of Chennai and avoid flooding of water during severe rains.