On December 4, 2023, more than 50% of the buildings were flooded at Varadharajapuram on the Outer Ring Road, south-west of the core city. Among them were a public library, a fair price shop and an e-seva centre. Library books were damaged; the essential items meant for public distribution were dumped in a pit. Cyclone Michaung had eroded roads, damaged infrastructure, flooded 1,500 homes, affecting the lives and livelihood of about 20,000 residents. One month after the cyclone, residents have started a campaign to reconstruct the damaged infrastructure, demanding that the government make the area flood-resilient. This initiative sets an example for other residents, as various departments have started discussing resilient reconstruction projects after the floods in the Chennai Metropolitan Area.
V. Rajasekaran, president of the Federation of Varadharajapuram Welfare Associations, said the residents had resolved to campaign for reconstruction of infrastructure to improve resilience. “We met the IIT representative on the Tiruppugazh committee on flood mitigation on January 11, requesting a suggestion for an alternative route to divert water from the Chembarambakkam lake. We demanded desilting of the lake; construction of a retaining wall along the Adyar; an increase in the height of the existing wall by 4 feet; and setting up of sewage treatment plants along the river. We demanded cement concrete roads, and redesigning of the Outer Ring Road bridge across the Adyar. We need more funds for roads, parks, and drains.”
