Choolaimedu residents urge authorities to clear SWD blocks

CHENNAI: Residents of Choolaimedu complain that a stormwater drain has been encroached upon and the canal is blocked with construction materials at Sivananda street, Choolaimedu.

As the entire street was inundated during the rainy season in 2021, several residents vacated fearing the same situation will be repeated this year too.

Though multiple complaints have been filed to the city corporation, the issue remains unaddressed for a long time. People urge the concerned department to act before the northeast monsoon.

“When the road was re-laid, the workers left the sand and bricks on the pavement which blocked water flow through the stormwater drain to the Cooum river. The street gets flooded and enters the houses on the ground floor. Even sewage gets mixed with the rainwater and enters houses, people were affected with typhoid and other infections recently. With the monsoon likely to begin in the next three months they vacated,” said S Vijayakumar, Secretary of Sivananda Street House Owners Welfare Association.

The stormwater drain was constructed 15 years ago and residents did not face any flooding all these years until the river nearby received more water inflow.

Following some encroachments, the rainwater from NGO colony, Gandhi Nagar and Sivananda street will flow through this SWD.

Locals raised complaints with photographs to the concerned officials in Zone 8, but the issue in this street remains unaddressed for the past two years.

As the zonal officials were not responding, the problem was taken up to the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation.

“After this area is inundated, there is no point in clearing on spot during the rainy season. They should attend to this issue before the northeast monsoon and remove construction materials on the pavement and clear blockage in the canal. Additionally, as the drain is not maintained well, there are several rats found inside,” said Vineeta Hoon, a resident of Sivananda Street.

When contacted, a senior official at Zone 8, Chennai Corporation ensured that the issue will be addressed before the northeast monsoon begins.