Koyambedu Market Waterlogged After Rain, Storm-Water Drain Delay Blamed
The Koyambedu market complex in Chennai experienced waterlogging on Sunday following a spell of rain, causing inconvenience to traders and visitors.
Social media was flooded with complaints about the inundation, with several users reporting that sewage was mixing with the rainwater, raising public health concerns in the busy market area.
In response, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) deployed motor pumps to drain out the water. By evening, the water had receded inside the complex, though some adjoining roads continued to have standing water.
Senior CMDA officials attributed the waterlogging to incomplete work on the storm-water drain network at the Koyambedu market complex. They stated that the delay was due to a lack of clearance from the traffic police to carry out work across the Poonamallee High Road stretch, which is necessary to connect the drains to the nearest waterway.
The storm-water drain project, announced by the Tamil Nadu government in the state assembly in 2024, was estimated to cost ₹17 crore. Officials noted that the delay in completing the highway crossing has left the market complex vulnerable to flooding during rains.