Velachery residents flag flooding, infra gaps before polls

Chennai: With years of waterlogging, encroachments and poor drainage-infrastructure in Velachery are turning into locality's defining poll issue. As elections near, flood-weary residents say their votes will hinge on who can finally keep their streets dry.Every monsoon, Velachery goes under water, with flooded streets, stranded vehicles and inundated homes becoming a recurring crisis for residents. Despite years of complaints over poor drainage, encroachments and inadequate infrastructure, locals say authorities have failed to implement any lasting solution to prevent flooding. The situation has not only disrupted daily life but also raised concerns over safety, health and accessibility during heavy rains."During the northeast monsoon season every year, there has been excess inflow of water from Velachery lake, due to encroachments and reduced storage capacity. We are tired of filing multiple petitions to the govt all these years, and yet there has been no solution to prevent inundation," said M Balakrishnan, secretary of Tansi Nagar residents welfare association. "Obstructions along waterways near the Perungudi railway culvert have further hampered stormwater drain into a marshland, leading to waterlogging across more than ten neighbourhoods housing over 10,000 families," he added.Despite an NGT order to clear encroachments and widen the waterbody, which would increase its capacity by 20%, no steps have been taken by the authorities for the past two decades, the residents lament. Locals complain only inspections have been carried out during the monsoon seasons, and with only ten days left for the election, none of the political parties have promised to address the issues.The situation is further aggravated by poor maintenance of the macro canal along Taramani Link Road. Constructed over a decade ago, the canal has not been desilted, resulting in overflow during monsoons. Residents say surplus water from areas such as Gandhi Road, IIT, Dhandeeswaram and Seethapathi Nagar spills onto roads and inundates Tansi Nagar, disrupting daily life.
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