Velachery flooding has renewed demands for a permanent, scientifically validated mitigation plan after heavy overnight rain inundated parts of AGS Colony, Ram Nagar and adjoining low-lying neighbourhoods in south Chennai. Residents said emergency pumping was necessary but could not replace an integrated assessment of the area’s drainage, topography and water-disposal arrangements.
Information technology minister and Velachery MLA R. Kumar said during an inspection that the government would seek assistance from experts at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to study the recurring flooding. He said Velachery, including Ram Nagar and AGS Colony, functions as a water basin where buildings were constructed about 40 years ago, causing waterlogging during heavy rain.
According to Kumar, the Greater Chennai Corporation has installed additional high-capacity pumps and is removing water from affected streets within three to four hours. He directed officials to deploy more tractor-mounted motor pumps and maintain round-the-clock monitoring in the affected areas.
The inspection covered the flooded junction of AGS Colony Third Main Road and Sixth Cross Street. South Chennai MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian and Chennai Mayor R. Priya were also present, along with officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, the revenue department and Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation.
Residents said the repeated inundation required more than a response focused on pumping out accumulated rainwater. They have sought a comprehensive study of AGS Colony and neighbouring flood-prone areas by IIT-M and Anna University experts, working with government departments, to identify the root causes and prepare a permanent flood mitigation plan.
“We have requested a comprehensive study of AGS Colony and adjoining flood-prone neighbourhoods by experts from IIT-M and Anna University, in coordination with the government departments, to identify the root causes of recurring flooding and prepare a permanent, integrated flood mitigation plan,” said Geetha Ganesh, secretary of the AGS Colony Residents’ Welfare Association.
The flooding has also revived a decades-old demand for direct road connectivity from the neighbourhood to Velachery Bypass Road through vacant land belonging to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department. The residents’ association said the absence of an alternative exit towards the MRTS Inner Ring Road or Velachery Bypass Road creates difficulties during severe flooding, particularly in emergencies.
The association said Kumar raised the connectivity request with the HR&CE minister on Sunday following the inspection. Residents welcomed the intervention but said the immediate priority remained addressing recurring inundation while pursuing longer-term infrastructure improvements. The proposed expert study and the corporation’s additional pumping and monitoring measures are the next stated steps in the government response.
