Flood risk increases as mounds of debris obstruct Cooum flow

Ahead of the onset of Northeast monsoon this month, residents person complained astir the dumping of debris from the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Corridor Project astatine respective locations of the Cooum, hindering its flow.

The flood hazard successful areas specified arsenic Egmore, Chintadripet, Nungambakkam, Chetpet, Choolaimedu, Aminjikarai, Anna Nagar, and Koyambedu is precocious this twelvemonth owing to the earthen obstructions that person reduced the stream width to 30 metres, according to councillors.

The engineers of civic agencies person pointed to a minimum width of 70 metres to forestall flooding caused by a maximum of 25,000 cusecs successful the Cooum during the monsoon, successful the lawsuit of a cloudburst.

As the enactment is nether way, residents of neighbourhoods successful the tidal scope of the stream person demanded the GCC and the WRD to inspect the earthen obstructions successful the stream and cheque whether the tempest h2o drains are blocked astatine the outfall points.

Egmore nonmigratory R.Sumathi said residents were disquieted astir the hazard of flooding this twelvemonth on stretches specified arsenic Langs Garden Road due to the fact that the stream width was reduced due to the fact that of the project. During the erstwhile monsoon, respective roads were flooded due to the fact that of the obstructions successful the tempest h2o drains astatine the outfall points. Sewage overflow was besides reported by residents.

Some of the earthen mounds created to conception 900 pillars successful the stream for the task person been cleared arsenic portion of monsoon preparedness. However, the debris person not been removed from the riverbed. Instead, ample bunds measuring 10 metres person been created utilizing the debris, reducing the width of the river. Residents said the officials of assorted agencies should behaviour a associated inspection to survey the interaction of the ample bunds created artificially successful the stream parallel to the flow.

Ward 61 councillor Fatima Muzaffer said astatine slightest 7 wards successful the country are apt to beryllium affected due to the fact that of the task successful the river. “The earthen obstructions should beryllium removed. We petition the authorities to represent a committee and see councillors to inspect the site,” she said.

Chennai Corporation officials said a determination volition beryllium taken aft a gathering connected Monday.