A report has been submitted to Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin by 13,000 volunteers who were on standby with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) during the heavy rain warning in the city between October 15 and 16. The report outlines both short-term and long-term plans for the state to consider, focusing on flood mitigation and post-disaster management. The volunteers have also identified the areas most vulnerable to flooding.
Velachery’s Tansi Nagar and Chokkalingam Nagar, Madipakkam, Padikuppam road, Vyasarpadi’s Ganesapuram, MKB Nagar and Mullai Nagar, Otteri Thideer Nagar, Kannigapuram, Ezhil Nagar Colony, Pulianthope, Anna Nagar, VOC Nagar, Stephenson Salai, Vivekananda Main Road, Kolathur- Near Senthil Nagar Signal, were the areas that were identified as most vulnerable by the volunteers.
Areas outside the GCC’s limits, including Avadi, Mudichur, Tambaram, Karapakkam, Medavakkam and Ayanambakkam also require immediate attention, the report said.
The volunteers also advised the state to develop flood evacuation plans by creating a database of tribal communities and residents in high-risk areas for swift emergency response. They further recommended dividing the local volunteers into two teams to improve coordination—one team to work closely with local councillors and the other to collaborate with GCC officials in each ward or zone.
One of their short-term recommendations was to address gaps in food distribution. Volunteers on the ground observed that food often fails to reach the interior low-lying areas of flood-prone wards. The report also emphasised the need to clear waste obstructing the pathways of stormwater drains (SWDs) and to desilt canals and lakes to improve water outflow.
For the long term, the report recommended that the state government should enhance the storm water drain system by identifying permeable zones along roads for better water absorption. They also suggested introducing a Flood Plain Zone law to protect natural waterways, among other measures.