The Dravidian model government repeatedly claimed to have allocated over ₹4,000 crore in 2023, with approximately ₹1,321 crore earmarked specifically for storm-water drainage in the Chennai corporation’s 2024 budget. However, despite only receiving an average rainfall of 6-9 cm across various localities in the city, the recent rains as of 15 October 2024 has exposed the government’s administrative shortcomings and its inability to prevent such disasters.
Since the rain began on 14 October 2024, the city started to experience significant flooding, with water pooling in many areas due to incomplete drainage projects. What was particularly shocking was the dire situation in Chief Minister MK Stalin’s own constituency Kolathur, where residents were seen towing their two-wheelers by hand wading through knee-deep water. Many vehicles stalled as water flooded into their engines.
GKM Colony in the Kolathur area has become a scene of distress. Residents are swimming through floodwaters just to access their daily essentials. They attribute their plight to government negligence, as repeated requests for improvements to the rainwater drainage system have been ignored. Due to the area’s low elevation, there are no proper pumps, and maintenance of minor drains has been severely lacking. New infrastructure projects have not been initiated by officials. Despite claims from the MLA and local ward members that the work has been completed successfully, the reality is quite the opposite. This situation is not unique to GKM Colony; nearby areas such as Thillai Nagar, Kumaran Nagar, and Kambar Nagar, all within the Chief Minister’s constituency, are experiencing similar challenges.
When speaking to reporters, one resident expressed disappointment about the constituency, lamenting the ongoing issues. “It is very bad; we are suffering silently not only this year but every year we are suffering the same. It has only rained for one day, it didn’t rain yesterday, only today. Look at our situation, we are towing our vehicles. You are saying this is the Chief Minister’s constituency, what kind of constituency is this? Very bad. Check out other constituencies, they are also bad, but this one is the worst. We are living a bad life here.”
The reporter then asked if there was a rainwater drainage facility in the area, to which the resident replied, “Yes, everything is there, there is a rainwater drainage and every other thing, but they are not maintaining it properly. During this monsoon season, just two days ago they came and looked at it, my home is on 31st street, many manholes have not been closed and it’s still the same. What shall we do? we have complained to them many times, they come and check, give us false hope and leave, a common man’s life is like that. I don’t know what else to say, everyone knows this is the CM’s constituency, still, he should take strong action. We go and say to the DMK office, they too come and see, but they are not taking proper steps.”
The reporter asked another woman resident about the situation in the Chief Minister’s constituency, and she responded with a mocking laugh, “You could see the situation very gladly. They have mentioned things like rainwater drainage and others, I was very happy that there won’t be any floods hereafter. This is an elevated area, if the situation here is like this my mother’s house in Perambur Barracks, Choolai, where the water level is up to the throat. I asked them to come over, but they could not even come. We were with hope that there won’t be any floods hereafter as they took up rainwater drainage works since it is a new regime we looked forward to something new, to say the least, this (DMK) is more than to them (AIADMK).”
She also expressed frustration that essential items, like milk, were unavailable in the area, stating, “We hope for a change, but nothing seems to improve.”
#BREAKING || வெளுத்து வாங்கும் மழையில் மிதக்கும் முதல்வர் தொகுதி – கடும் அவதியில் கதறும் பொதுமக்கள்#HeavyRain #RainAlert #RedAlert #Chennai #cmstalin #DMK #Kolathur #rain #ChennaiRains #TamilNadu #tamiljanam pic.twitter.com/gFD8VOEzgq
— Tamil Janam (@TamilJanamNews) October 15, 2024
While residents lamented their situation, the contrast was stark with the Chief Minister’s home and street, which remained spotless and free of any water. The drainage there was efficient, leaving no signs of the heavy rainfall that had affected the rest of Chennai. Residents struggled in flooded conditions, while the CM’s street appeared untouched by the deluge. This highlighted the administration’s ability to manage floodwaters, suggesting that the DMK, which champions social justice, only extends that concern to its leaders and elites, leaving ordinary citizens to fend for themselves.
(Pic Credit: Tamil Janam)
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