Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Taramani bedevilled by waterlogging

Staff Reporter

Water taking longer to drain: residents

CHENNAI: Waterlogging continues to be a problem in Taramani, especially in the monsoon season.

After the rains of the past few days, low-lying areas in Taramani are still inundated. For the last two decades, institutions including the Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre, CSIR complex, Institute of Road Transport, Centre for Ultrafast Processes, Madras University, Women's Polytechnic, Vikram Sarabhai Industrial Estate et al have been subject to waterlogging during the rainy season.

According to the staff, in the past the rainwater run off from Raj Bhavan and the IIT-Madras campus found its way into the lakes of Velachery, Pallikaranai swamp and the Buckingham canal using the sloping terrain. However, with the city expanding rapidly, especially the `prestigious' IT Corridor stretch, the rainwater stagnated in Taramani, causing untold misery to commuters and residents.

A scientist working in Taramani said that it appeared that no study had been made, in line with the development of the area, on draining the water collected in the catchment area. Waterlogging was a problem earlier also, but the retention time had increased alarmingly this year, a manager in a firm said.

An officer in the Chennai Corporation said the problem could be solved by a contour survey, mapping of Raj Bhavan, IIT, Taramani village to find out the natural course of water flow. "We have to create new waterways and provide storm water drains, which would solve the problem of flooding and take the water to the Buckingham canal."

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