Chennai: Re-laying without milling poses flood risk on OMR

Chennai: Residents along Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) have raised concerns with the Chennai Metro Rail Limited and its contractor over the road resurfacing. They allege that the existing surface is being blacktopped without milling, which could worsen flooding during the monsoon. They allege that the road’s height has been raised by approximately six inches. Harsh Koda, co-founder of the Federation of OMR Residents’ Associations (FOMRRA), said that laying a thick tar layer without removing the old surface would alter the road’s profile and cause large amounts of rainwater to flow onto service lanes and side roads, which are not designed to handle such flow. Resurfacing a 200-foot-wide stretch stretching over 20 km long could divert 60 to 70 lakh liters of rainwater, exacerbating waterlogging in low-lying areas and IT parks along the corridor. OMR (Rajiv Gandhi Salai), a crucial IT corridor, is flooded even with light rain, turning roads into canals, trapping commuters and disrupting work in office and residential complexes. Harsh Koda said the ongoing work could further obstruct natural drainage toward major outfalls like the Buckingham Canal, forcing water into narrow internal roads and basements. Referring to previous instances where Metro Rail work had disrupted the drainage pattern on OMR, he said that frequent encroachments on the carriageway, along with poorly designed and poorly maintained stormwater drains, have created flood-prone hotspots. He alleged that the current blacktopping is being done without upgrading side drains, culverts, or outfalls. However, CMRL officials were unavailable for comment. Citing a 2021 High Court order, Harsh Koda recalled that the then Chief Secretary, V. Irai Anbu, had directed the Highways Department to ensure that roads were resurfaced only after milling the existing surface. The directive stated that laying a new layer raises the road level and adversely impacts pavements and stormwater drains, and that roads with thick bituminous macadam layers should not be overlaid without milling. He demanded the public disclosure of design drawings, hydrology studies, and capacity assessments for affected stretches, an independent flood-risk audit, and pre-monsoon desilting with additional culverts and pumps to prevent flooding.