Citizen Connect: Residents of Ganapathy Nagar face inundation risk due to absence of SWD

Located close to the National Highway, Ganapathy Nagar is one of the newly developed localities in Madhavarm. Due to its proximity to the main road, the land is getting sold like hot cakes, and houses are springing up in the area. 

However, according to the residents of the area, they are plagued by the lack of stormwater drainages. Due to this, waterlogging in the streets and vacant lands have become common, leading to health risks to the residents.

According to the residents, they are forced to cover the stagnant water with soil and stones to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.

Chakrapani, a retired government official, said he had bought a plot in the area but could not construct a house due to waterlogging. “I fear that the water will inundate the house,” said Chakrapani.

He added that water would flow out of the locality and resolve the problem of water stagnation only if stormwater drains are constructed here.

Another resident Immanuel, who runs real estate business, said Ganapathy Nagar is a classic example of fast-developing area being ignored by the Greater Chennai Corporation. 

The area had started witnessing developments for over a decade. However, even now, they were finding it difficult to convince people to move here because of the lack of basic amenities like drains.

Due to the absence of stormwater drains, people here are forced to increase the height of the basement of their house to escape from water inundation, Immanuel added.

When contacted, the concerned Corporation official said that the scheme for constructing stormwater drains in the area has been prepared by the civic body only now. The work would commence soon, he added.