Citizen Connect: Sewage overflow leaves Flowers Road stinking, residents, motorists irked

Residents and motorists using Flowers Road at Purasaiwalkam have been facing the ordeal of sewage overflow on the main road, which is causing a great degree of discomfort for motorists and pedestrians.

The Flower Road is a busy road connecting Ormes Road in Kilpauk and Alagappa Road to EVR Periyar Salai. Despite the heavy flow of traffic, the road always remains pothole ridden due to the overflow of sewage.

“Leakage of sewage has become routine here, and the entire lane has turned into a pool due to sewage overflow. Due to this, pedestrians and motorists are facing severe inconvenience,” said Chandrakanth, a local resident.

Sewage is flowing out of the half a dozen or so manholes, flooding the 550-foot-long road and stagnating on both sides. The Flower Road-Green Avenue junction is particularly bad, with the stagnant sewage making it impossible for pedestrians to enter the Avenue Street without stepping into the raw sewage. Vehicles passing by splash the sewage onto the footpath, causing further trouble to the pedestrians, who have to be extra care to avoid a putrid shower.

“As they vie with each other at high speed, most vehicles, particularly cars, would not slowdown and end up splashing the sewage on other motorists and pedestrians,” complained S Sadagopan, a resident of Green Avenue.

At an autorickshaw stand at one end of the road, drivers are forced to cover their face with handkerchiefs due to the stench. “This road has always been like this. Sometimes sewage leaks four times a day. We have seen Metro Water workers doing some repair, but things go back to square one within no time,” said Ravi, an autorickshaw driver.

A Chennai Metro Water official said measures were being taken to replace the underground pipeline and increase its size to match the growing population in the area. “There is a proposal to replace the existing UG pipeline for nearly two km, covering Brick Kiln Road and Flowers Road in Purasaiwalkam,” the official said, adding that the work would be taken up in January, after North East Monsoon, as the Greater Chennai Corporation has banned road cuts till then.

“Increasing the capacity of the UG pipeline would permanently solve the sewage overflow issue in the locality,” the official added.