Leaking sewage makes Anna Salai dangerous

Chennai: Clogged sewer lines that led to sewage leaking on to Anna Salai from at least two manholes for more than two months have made the busy arterial stretch accident-prone, complain residents and commuters. There are three spots on the stretch between Teynampet signal and Gemini flyover where manholes leak sewage even after occasional repairs carried out by Metrowater, they add.
Reduced to half its width by metro rail work, the stretch is now a bottleneck where the overflowing sewage has made life difficult for motorists and pedestrians alike. Roadside vendors and security guards recall several accidents in the last two months. "The stretch was inundated during the recent floods for a week. After water receded, we realised sewer lines had been leaking and mixing with flood water," said a guard.
A restaurant near Century Plaza has remained shut over the last two months due to the sewage stagnation. Metrowater fixed the leak near the commercial complex two days ago but sewage was still gushing out, raising a stink, said residents. Staff from a nearby hospital said repeated complaints went in vain.
When contacted, a Metrowater official sent workers to clear out the stagnation. While residents said bursting of sewer pipelines caused the leak, the official said it was due to clogged lines and claimed there would be no more stagnation.
"It is not a blocked sewer line. It has been cracking after every repair and could be due to the metro rail drilling work," said a security guard.
During peak hours, bikers are forced to ride through the dirty water. "Recently, three bikers slipped and fell in the sludge. Passing buses splash dirty water on pedestrians on the barely-there pavement," said Thirumurugan, who works at the commercial complex.
U Karpagam, the councillor concerned, said the sewage leak was a recurring problem.