Well after about after 7 years I guess, Chennai has received an heavy rain Fall with even many main streets and bus routes been flooded. Many other low lying areas are Submerged into flood water!
The same situation happened into the City back in 2007 I guess when continuous Rain fall lasted for over 5 days and ended up the Streets with water logging. I stay in south Chennai and locations like Velachery, Adyar, Madipakkam, Chrompet, OMR were almost submerged. Rain flood water entered most of the housed bring snakes, Crabs, Garbage and other infections into the house.!
Luckily, my location survived because our Street falls in a raised location. But even after this my house surrounding was covered with Water and even my Water sump was filled with contaminated Rain Water!
So because of this we had to raise the ground level to one feet from the road level so that the Rain Water does not enter our house.(read below for more on this!)
But after that for the past 7 years, Chennai did no see rain at all. We suffered a lot with no water at all in The city. There were days when we had no water just for taking bath!
In 2007 we used to purchased 8000 liters of Water(through water Tanker for sump) for just Rs.500. But on 2015 now, the same 8000 liters of water is Charged at Rs.1300(for us as we are long time customers) and Rs.1700 for all other new customers.
But after 7 years now, Surprisingly, heavy rain lashed Chennai city extending for nearly more than 10 days I guess. We even had heavy rains during Diwali time and I still have some Crackers in stock un-blasted! And because this today, the City is Filled with Water.
Yesterday morning I visit Velachery for a morning Show "Thoongavanam" at Luxe Cinemas(Phoenix mall) at Velachery. Well we only had the option of going to the movie without Cancelling it because Rs.450 will be lost. And though it was Raining hard, we jumped into our Car and went to see the movie.
But I saw the whole road way covered with Water. Streets Water logged and people even using Life boats to come out from their homes to the main street(helped by Disaster management.!
We Actually had plans for shopping at the mall after watching movie there, but we cancelled it and returned back home at 12 noon! The Rain did not stop from 8am till 5am next Day(today I suppose).
So today morning, I got out to my Street to find for the first time the whole street Water logged.! In 2007 only front of my house and interior of my house water logged(Not living room). But this was new! The lake in my locality got broken up and the water is said have engulfed the main roads including the by-pass highway to about 5 feet. Two bikes are siad to be washed away.!
The news says that, almost all lakes are almost full excluding Puzhal Lake, many Lakes have broken, Main Parts of City flooded to 2 to 4 feet, many Street stagnated with Contaminated Waters, Roads Damaged, Trees Uprooted, and it is said that The Rain will still last for 2 more day! Even School, colleges and some IT companies are shut down!
And if this happens for 2 more days, I am sure water will enter into my house too! My Neighbors house at ground floor is at danger Stage with Water about to enter his house with just 1 inch left! He is trying to Drain the water out of his compound, but is useless because the Roads are already flooded.! WHY THIS FLOODING!
The Reasons are - Lack on Planning of infrastructure, No coordination within Corporation and municipal bodies and worst Polities run real Estates in India! Here I explain some of them in Details -
1) Streets -
No planning here at all. Just road laid and thats it.
In 2001, The road in our street was laid. the new road level was about more than 4 feet lower than our house.! So we were happy and so fear for Rain. The Road was laid for the 2002 Elections!
In 2004, heavy rain lashed and Destroyed the whole roads, which shows the real face on "How bad the roads were laid!".
In 2005, new road was raid again for the sake of 2006 Elections!
How the road is laid here - They ploughed up the road -> then over it added 1 feet of black Stones -> Then 0.5 feet of road Tar! So the height was raised to another 1.5 Feet. Now our home is down to 2.5 Feet from the road level!
And in the 2007 rains because of this raised heights, the Water could enter our compounds.!(not into the living rooms actually)! But the road was not that Damaged due to rains.!
In 2011, the road was almost dug up for the Sake of laying Drainage System. New road Damaged for Second Time!
In 2012, The road was again dug up for laying Pallar Water connection! Road Damaged Further
In 2012 end, the road was partially Patched up after complaints reached the municipality.
And in 2013, again that Patched up road was dug up for laying Metro water Connection!
So out Street Still doesn't have A Drainage System and hence the Rain Water Still Stagnates on our Streets! Well We don't even have a proper Street Road either! Only about 20% of Tar Remaining and everything else is MUD.
2) Main Streets -
The same above is followed and no Storm Drain system incorporated in the city main Street either.! Infact the Drainage system acts as Storm Drain System. Which overflows during heavy rain bring all excretion stuff to the Streets. Yuck!
And Sadly the Govt is still using the old motors and suction machines to suk of out the water from streets!
3) Lake and ponds -
Well it is said that India had Lots and lots Ponds and lakes built by our Ancestors for Storing the Rain water! They were all Clever.
But today many of the water bodies are missing. And the Reason is these idiotics "Real Estate owners" who are in-turn commanded by the money minded foolish politicians.
And since these water bodies are no longer available to accommodate Rain Water! These water either go waste as contaminated Street Waters or is directed to seas/oceans. And the Remaining water bodies like Lakes and Reservoirs are not able to accommodate the excess rain water and hence break up and goes into roads and Streets, creating problems to public!
The worst is with Puzhal Lake in north Chennai were due to bad infrastructure and real Estate occupation, The Rain Water never reaches the lake and hence the Puzhal like is still not full even after this Rain!
What all can be Done -
1) Deepen the Lakes and Ponds, so that they can accomodate more water during such heavy Rains.
2) Build the strongest Bunds/barricades along the borders of the lakes and other large water bodies, so that these bodies don't break down and flood water into the living localities.
3) Re-Build roads and in Cities with Faclilies like Storm Drain, so that those Lines are further linked to main Water bodies like Lakes or Storm drain.
4) Also construct main large Canal/Storm Drains along side the highways in cities, so that the storm Drain from the City roads link with these main Storm drains.
5) Build more man made reservoirs to accommodate more of rain water and not allowing them to go waste.
6) Re-construct road in such a way that the Storm drain and Drainage System does not mix with one another.
7) Create/form new Departments or local bodies with tactical support to just deal with such rain Situations. This will not only provide extra support but also will provide new employment opportunities. Tactical Support includes Aerial Support for Surveys and rescue operations. Because I saw some people been washed away in the flood, and watchers including news people had no option than to just take videos of them and put them on TVs.! If there were Helicopters, they could have been saved.
My Question to this government is -
When you can bring plans and infrastructure such as highways, malls, Flyovers to Develop cities. Why not Bring the plans for "Water Storage", "Storm Drain System" from Countries like US and incorporate here.! By this we can save a lots of Rain Water and utilize them for years together!
We beg from States like Karnataka for Water but forget that Chennai has more water than them by rain itself!
Anyways, though I faced inconvenience in past few Days due to this heavy Rainfall and water Logging. But I am happy that, atleast the Water problem is somewhat solved in the City due to this Rain Fall and we can enjoy this water for next 2 years Atleast.
