December deluge causes extensive damage

M.Sowmiya

Chennai, 14 Dec 2015: The past few days saw unprecedented incidents unfolding in the neighbhourhood. The deluge, many say, has caused resonable damage to the locality but Royapettah withstand it all.

Though few resedential areas escaped the wrah of nature, most of the low lying areas were inundated causing huge loss to people. The neighbourhood may be limping back to normal but not everything is okay. Many residents affected by flooding still face hardship as waste dumped on the side of roads. Debris from receding flood waters has left many in discomfort. Plastic covers, broken tree branches, abandoned footwear, snapped cables litter several parts of the area.

“There is so much garbage in the area that I feel nausted everytime I pass by. Broken roads are a problem as it is difficult to travel with all the bumps and potholes. Uprooted tress block pavements making it hard for pedestrains. Walkers are forced to use the slushy roads”, says Hariharan, a resident.

Driving in this area has become a nightmare, especially at night, as most streetlights and traffic signals on the main and interior roads remain dysfunctional. Commuters claim that the authorities concerned are yet to get the lights and signals repaired, even in areas where water has receded.

“It  is dangerous to travel on these roads due to poor visibility. Most stretches are filled with potholes and a motorist could easily lose his balance and fall, even during the day”, says Naveed. He also said that manholes also remain open on some stretches, posing an additional threat to motorists. There are also no warning boards, he added.

Pedestrians, especially senior citizens are the most affected as they are finding it difficult to walk due to the presence of waste and debris on the pavements.

“I was struggling to walk on the road because of the speeding vehicles and traffic signals have not been working here for the past few days, making it an ordeal to cross the surface”, says Nithya, a resident of Royapettah Housing Board.