PWD to begin widening of Adyar, Cooum shortly

Following the 2015 floods, the Chennai-based Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG) undertook a survey aided by Arunodhaya: Centre for Street and Working Children, Vettiver Collective, students of Madras Christian College and Thozilalar Koodam.

The areas surveyed included Ekkaduthangal, Jaffarkhanpet, Saidapet, Kotturpuram, Mudichur, Semmencheri, Perumbakkam, Kodungaiyur and Ponneri. The survey reports were sent to the Collectors of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Commissioner, Chennai Corporation, CMDA, Municipal Administration Commissioner and the Directorate of Town and Country Planning. 

But there was no response despite CAG having worked with Chennai Corporation in 2013-15 on building the corporation’s capacity to collect and use (spatial) data for planning and monitoring of public services including storm water drains. 

In 2014, CAG worked with city engineers to map water stagnation points documenting possible causes and solutions to create a micro plan. It had to rely on incomplete maps that were neither geo-referenced nor scaled, as officialdom lacked data and maps. 

“The survey revealed that ill-planned infrastructure including roads, buildings and other transport infrastructure built without hydrological impact studies contributed to flooding,” says Satyarupa Shekar of CAG. 

Migrant labourers were the most affected as they chose rented accommodation and not government shelters. They lost clothes, vessels, phones and cycles and were unable to access relief, especially dry rations, and the Rs 5,000 that government doled out to the flood affected as they lacked ration cards. 

With the Southwest monsoon having already set in the state, Chennaiites are visibly scared of another flood. “We are not mentally or physically prepared to face another natural onslaught,” says Sivaraj of Velachery. 

When contacted, PWD chief engineer V Shanmugam (Chennai region) said, “The PWD expects Rs 10 crore shortly for river widening works. Desilting works in Virugambakkam and Arumbakkam areas are expected to be taken up shortly,” he added. What clearly stands out is that Chennai is definitely not prepared for another natural calamity.