Corporation focuses on inundated parts of Chennai

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation got into battle mode on Friday. As rains continued to flood arterial roads, the corporation placed 173 pumpsets along with adequate staff at the 15 zonal offices decided to tackle waterlogging.
“We identified certain areas that get flooded despite storm water drains and road gradient because of the topography. A pumpset has been kept aside for each of these areas,” said corporation commissioner D Karthikeyan.Some of the areas include Virugambakkam, Valluvar Kottam, parts of Alandur, Ossankulam and Kilpauk.
The corporation’s 1913 complaint helpline continued to ring through the day, with more than 120 calls related to waterlogging. “Water on a road can be drained out only when rain stops for at least an hour,” said the commissioner.
The corporation will deploy eight of its water lorries and a few from Metrowater to drain out flooded areas.
Realising that waterlogging over two months will damage some roads, the corporation has decided to buy a wet mix for 12.9 crore, to fill potholes. “This can be laid even during the rains. It will set instantly and merge with the existing road,” said Karthikeyan.
Many residents living near roads where trees fell complained about plant debris not being cleared even 24 hours later, but the commissioner said the clearing had been delayed because parking a huge lorry on busy roads would create further problems. “The point is to ensure the fallen tree does not disturb traffic, clearing debris on the side of the road may take a day or two,” he said.
The corporation’s hospitals and health centres were well stocked with medicines to treat monsoonrelated diseases, he said. Camps would be conducted around flood -prone slums. The four relief centres to cook for displaced people have been put on stand-by.