Lack of safety at many levels, say Justice Sundaram Road residents

Residents of Justice Sundaram Road and nearby streets impacted by the stormwater drain work in the region met at Mithila on Justice Sundaram Road on September 27, 2024 to discuss the problems resulting from the project and what needs to be done to alleviate these difficulties.

Residents of this area have a sense of being abandoned by the line agencies, and forced to nurse themselves to health, which is an impossibility given the magnitude of the project.

Here are voices of residents about what has gone wrong in their neck of the woods.

‘We are on a slippery slope’

S. Lakshmi Narayanan

The SWD pit in front of our building (Marvel Jus Apartment) is filled with sewage, and the workers have been pumping sewage from other pits into it. The Metro Water pipe meant to carry drinking water to our apartment is now submerged in sewage.

Our Metro Water line is damaged and our drinking water got contaminated. My wife and daughter got sick and it took them a week to recover and now our neighbours are down with dengue. We have closed the water line on our end and have been relying on bore water for three to four weeks now.

The soil dug out from the SWD pits were carelessly piled up in front of our apartment, posing a safety hazard. It becomes extremely slippery, especially after the rain. It becomes extremely difficult and dangerous to get in and out by foot or two-wheeler. The clay sticks on to the undersole or the tyres and becomes slippery. My 11-year-old son fell badly last week while returning from school.

‘We are up against a severe water crisis’

Vijay Jeyaprakash

For the past three weeks, residents of Justice Sundaram Road and Rama Rao Road have been facing a severe water crisis. The existing drainage and metro water pipes have been damaged and mixed, forcing us to clean our sump and overhead tanks. The government must ensure that drinking water is supplied through water lorries during this period. Adding to the problem, MES underground cables have also been damaged due to construction activities, with no proper supervision in place. The reckless use of JCB machines has caused these damages, leading to further disruptions. Water lorries are refusing to enter the area as the construction has made the roads dangerously narrow.

There is also serious concern about how the existing drainage and water pipes will be relaid with the stormwater channel being constructed. We insist that design validation for this work should be conducted by an approved agency, preferably IIT Madras, to prevent further issues. Authorities need to take immediate action to resolve these problems and arrange regular water supply for the affected residents

‘We were left blindsided’

Bhavani RV

Justice Sundaram Road used to be a beautiful street with shady trees till about a month ago. The road was freshly laid only a few months ago. What is appalling is that the massive exercise of laying stormwater drain started one fine day without any intimation or notice. A meeting could have been convened in Nageswara Rao Park, the plan shared and suggestions sought to minimise inconvenience and risk; the work could have been done before the road was laid and before the rains started. There is absolutely no coordination between different departments — the Corporation, EB, CMWSSB. The GCC is nowhere in sight. The road is a slushy mess with accidents waiting to happen. If this can happen in the heart of the city, one shudders to think of remoter parts of the city.

‘Can an ambulance enter this road?’

Ganesh Subramanian

The haphazard, ill-planned stormwater alleviation efforts on Justice Sundaram Road and adjoining Ramachandra Road and Luz Avenue have caused great concern to me. I am taking care of my parents aged 95 and 90. They have multiple health issues. I worry that if they have an emergency, no ambulance can safely make it to my house on Justice Sundaram Road. The slush and mess at the corner of Luz Avenue and Ramachandra Road is treacherous to pedestrians and motorists alike. The entrance to 6, Justice Sundaram Road is unsafe, with just the metal plank with 15-foot drops into the trench on both sides, without any safety barriers.

‘The work will be completed by October 15

A Greater Chennai Official connected with the stormwater drain work on Justice Sundaram Road and surrounding areas notes it will keep the deadline marked for it — October 15. He refutes residents’ allegation that measures to ameliorate the inconvenience resulting for slushy conditions after rains are lacking. “We clear the slush,” he notes.

Published - September 28, 2024 11:10 pm IST