Too little too late, say Zacharia Colony residents

They expect GCC to carry out intense desilting of the stormwater drain on Fourth Street, and also reduce the height of this street through a proper milling exercise

At Zacharia Colony 4th Street in Choolaimedu on September 28, the stormwater drain was being freed of silt. Residents would have been happier if the exercise had arrived earlier, particularly before the hours in the liminal space between September 25 and 26, when the skies burst open. Notably, besides arriving a tad too late, this exercise was hardly spring-cleaning. The Greater Chennai Corporation workers were removing silt by lifting manhole covers. Deep cleaning of the drain is required, say residents of the street.

In recent times, even during a moderate downpour, this street suffers inundation of a disruptive kind.

Salmas Corner Castle, located on this street, found water and slush entering their compound twice last week during overnight rains. Such flooding had never occurred during normal rains in the past.

The residents of 21 flats in the complex, including children and senior citizens, had to wade through half a foot of slush to reach the gate. They also had to clear the waterlogging by opening manholes on the premises. Workers had to be employed to remove the slush.

“On Wednesday night, we noticed water from a nearby government construction site flowing across the road and entering our premises. Our complex is on a corner plot, with one side facing Choolaimedu High Road and the other side facing Zacharia Colony 4th Street. Over the years, the height of Choolaimedu High Road has increased manifold because proper milling is not carried out during black-topping, causing our flat to be at a lower level,” a resident of the complex, who wished not to be named, said adding that the stormwater drain on Zacharia Colony 4th street has not been cleared of silt in recent years.

“A commercial establishment on the street has also laid tiles over the footpath, which appears to be obstructing the drainage,” another resident of the street said.

The resident continues: “Due to the unprecedented water entry over two nights, the residents sent a complaint to the Corporation of Chennai on September 26. The Corporation promptly sent two of its representatives to inspect the premises the next morning. They checked the nearby roads and our premises and acknowledged that there was a problem. Instead of offering to help clear the stormwater drain or construct a drain near the gate, one of them suggested that the apartment, 30 years old, could be demolished and reconstructed at a higher elevation. The residents of the flat were highly disappointed with the insensitive advice.”

These residents note that not even a single inspection was carried out after heavy flooding in the area in December 2023.

“No one bothered when the road level kept on rising during blacktopping every year” — is the disappointed tone one gets from Fourth Street.

Zacharia Colony, abutting Kodambakkam High Road and the Egmore-Tambaram main railway line, is a residential neighbourhood comprising Zacharia Colony Main Road and four parallel streets connecting it to Choolaimedu High Road. All four streets have experienced flooding during heavy rains since the height of Choolaimedu High Road was increased. Residents say drainage lines on all the streets need immediate attention ahead of the heavy monsoon rains. They believe a permanent solution can only be found if the height of Choolaimedu High Road is lowered through proper milling.

Published - September 28, 2024 10:40 pm IST