The fact that monsoon is playing truant is evident as we are experiencing water shortage. Chennaiites were keeping their fingers crossed from july. The south west monsoon which brings a sigh of relief cold shouldered us and the sun was mercilessly beating down.

The city dwellers are benefited by the corporation water supply but for the people residing in the suburbs it is testing time for them. They do not have copious water in their wells and borewells and drinking water is a passed. For the last couple of years the monsoon was kind enough to bless us. Its magic is incomprehensible.



For the denizens in the environs of Chennai the municipal and panchayat hardly took notice of the water crisis.

The rain god Varuna decided to bless the parched citizens with a few showers now and then. Since Chennai is never geared to face the rains at any part of the year some parts were inundated with the first few showers of this season.

Any subway in the cite presents a dismal picture. The water logged subways makes it impossible to commute. It takes a long time to bail out the water resulting in the disruption of traffic.

The construction of flyovers has increased the stagnation of water in the adjoining areas. The Tnagar bus terminus which is ages old presents a body of water even if there are a few drops of water.

It is not suited to withstand heavy down pour. Last week rains had its heavy toll . It resembled an island with water which was a mix of gutter and rain stagnating inside the terminus.

Another road which is a night mare is the G N Chetty road. From time immemorial it is converted into a woodland steam when it rains. It is a night mare to wade through the water. Monsoon has always been a testing time for us.

Kathipara junction is worst ever during monsoon. We have to waddle through water and it takes hours before we reach the destination. We get caught in the traffic snarl and loose our patience and our money as enormous fuel is wasted waiting in the traffic.

No attempt is made to improve the infrastructure. The construction of flyovers or subways are alone not sufficient to ease the traffic during any part of the year.

Monsoon is bereft of any magical element; only fear prevails over us.

UshaRaja