Following the Greater Chennai Corporation’s work on the city’s stormwater drains (SWD), many areas prone to flooding have seen a marked difference in terms of rainwater drainage this year. In the last 24 hours, even as 2022’s Northeast Monsoon set in and Chennai received rain ranging between 150 to 200mm, areas including GN Chetty Road in T Nagar, Velachery and portions of Mogappair have seen a significant reduction in flooding. According to reports, in north Chennai, Korukkupet and Ramanujam Street where new SWD work has happened, so far rainwater has been draining away smoothly.
But reports are coming in from other parts of Chennai which have been waterlogged. Potholes left by the SWD work have also made driving on flooded roads difficult. Waterlogging in Pulianthope has reached thigh-levels, reports say, and the situation continues to worsen. According to a report by ToI, water had entered houses at Senthil Nagar and Kolathur. Reports also say that water stagnation is occurring in Pudhupettai near Egmore.
When TNM visited the Kasturi Ranga Street, which was given great importance during the corporation’s SWD work, the entire area was flooded with rainwater. In some places, the corporation used motor pumps to drain the water. Semmozhi Poonga, AG-DMS metro, Kasturi Rangan Road, Thirumalai Pillai Road, T Nagar, Valluvar Kottam, and Corporation School Road near the Independence Day Park have also been flooded with rainwater.
The situation in Pulianthope is getting worse over time. The water level keeps rising. @chennaicorp pls note and do the needful.
— Dharani Balasubramaniam (@dharannniii) November 1, 2022
Commoners have to wade through thigh-level waters even to buy essentials pic.twitter.com/XaE3RMb5Oh
#Kolathur It's flooded again like last year, even after laying drainage layouts... Water entered my home and nearby homes as well.Can you please look into it and do the needful? @chennaicorp #ChennaiCorporation #chennairains pic.twitter.com/BDifwMcV5K
— Prem Kumar (@Prem0691) November 1, 2022
#Chennairains : GN Chetty road which was badly affected last year looks completely clear now.
— DT Next (@dt_next) November 1, 2022
@manivasagan_ #rains #chennai #GNChettyroad #ChennaiRain #ChennaiCorporation @chennaicorp #HeavyRain pic.twitter.com/fhBKFqr1WX
Residents struggle to cross the flooded Ganeshapuram subway in Chennai's Vyasarapadi following incessant rains.
— TNIE Tamil Nadu (@xpresstn) November 1, 2022
Express photos | @Jawahar_TNIE #ChennaiRain #Chennai pic.twitter.com/J9j5iLamdt
Thrashing in West #Tambaram #Chennairains pic.twitter.com/LxnqPf3kpR
— MasRainman (@MasRainman) November 1, 2022
Water stagnation in United colony 2nd Street, Medavakkam. @chennaicorp please have a look.#chennairains #ChennaiCorporation pic.twitter.com/cYKs0hXaW7
— Raghu Tilak (@raghutilaksm) November 1, 2022
Chennai’s Nungambakkam received the highest amount of rainfall in 30 years on the evening of Monday, October 31. As the Northeast Monsoon began in Chennai, several areas saw heavy rainfall and inundation. On Tuesday, the Nungambakkam area received 8 cm of rainfall, which is the highest amount of rainfall in 30 years, and the third highest in 72 years. On November 1, 1964, Nungambakkam had received 11 cm of rain, while the number was 13 cm in 1990, according to Dr S Balakrishnan, head of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai.
According to Tamil Nadu weatherman Pradeep John, Kathivakkam in North Chennai received 155 mm of rainfall. Perambur recorded 141 mm of rain, while New Malani Town and Tondiarpet in north Chennai received 140 mm. Reports from north Chennai have made citizens wary as many roads in Tondiarpet and Tiruvottiyur are flooded with rainwater.
Chennai citizens can contact Greater Chennai Corporation's helpline numbers — 044-25619206, 044-25619207, 044-25619208 — to lodge complaints regarding issues pertaining to the Northeast Monsoon. Citizens can also lodge complaints via the Namma Chennai app and Twitter. Citizens are also asked to contact the control room via 1913 for round-the-clock assistance.