Water logged roads scare Chennai

Chennai: Just one spell of rain and most roads of Chennai get waterlogged, putting motorists to severe inconvenience.

The monsoon rains that lashed the city on Tuesday and Wednesday resulted in traffic snarls, as most roads were full of water, exposing chinks in Greater Chennai Corporation’s preparedness for the regular monsoon season.

Potholes and puddles with stagnant water made it difficult for motorists to ride through main roads, including Choolaimedu main road, Rathnamangalam road in Urapakkam, Venkatespuram main road in Vandalur, Mudichur road in Tambaram and Paper Mills road in Perambur.

Commuters at the Gandhi Salai Road in Perambur experienced gruelling traffic jams after it poured on Tuesday. Motorists complained that the roads get flooded even if it rains for a couple of minutes and they are forced to drive through stagnant water.

“This road is always flooded after rains, it has been relaid many times but water logging has always been a problem. Potholes make it worse to ride,” said S Ilavarasan, a motorist who was stuck in a jam on Gandhi Salai road.

Pedestrians had a difficult time to walk on roads, as flooding of roads and streets is a regular problem. “It’s difficult for pedestrians to walk after rains as the garbage on the sides of the road makes the area messy and dirty, with multiple water puddles on streets,” said V. Prakash, a resident of Kamarajar Nagar in Nungambakkam.

Residents of Tondiarpet, St Thomas Mount, Washermanpet, Nungambakkam, Pallavaram, Madipakkam and Mudichur had experienced various difficulties after the rain. People not only suffered from flooding of streets, but sewage water entering their residences is another problem that people have had to tackle.

City to get more rains

Chennai to receive more rainfall in the coming days after the formation of depression over Bay of Bengal, say weather bloggers.

Astro meteorologist S Ramachandran said that normal amount of rainfall will be received till June 13, which will become sluggish after around June 21. “The rainfall can also cross the normal daily mean rainfall and might even lead to heaviest rainfall after December last year,” he added.

As per the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai Kancheepuram district and Chennai district received a minimum rainfall of 2 cm and 1 cm respectively on Tuesday and Wednesday. The city seems to get relieved of high temperatures as the temperature might drop to around 33.5 degree Celsius.