Chennai flood:some essential services restored, but normalcy a long way away

(THEINDIATIMES)ArelativelydryspellinChennaianditsneighbourhoodbroughtrelieftoresidentsandrescueagencieswhohopetherecedingriverwaterswillreducethenumberoffloodedareasmakereliefworkmoreeffective.

Mobilephoneservices,whichhadtakenaseverebeatingfollowingtheheavydownpouronTuesday,werepartiallyrestoredevenasotherservicessuchasATMscontinuedtoremainshut.

Afteraday-longdryspellonThursday,someareasinandaroundthecityincludingKodambakkam,TNagarandTambaramreceivedshowersinthenightbutFridaymorningsawsomebrightskieswithpeopleoutonthestreets.

ThebreakinrainresultedinasharpfallinthedischargeofwatersfromChembarapakkam,PondiandPuzhallakesleadingtoreductioninthewaterlevelsofthetworiversthatcriss-crossthecity.

Chennaifloodalert:Helplinenumbers

Thoughthewaterwasrecedinginmanypartsofthecitythemiseryofcitizensshowedlittleletupaspowerremainedsuspendedinmanyareasasaprecautionarymeasure,officialssaid.

Safedrinkingwatercontinuedtoremainaluxuryformany.

Milkandnewspapersupplieswereerraticandmanycitizenscomplainedthatvegetableswerestillbeingsoldathighrates.

Transportserviceswerealsoshowingsignsofpickingup.

LimitedcommercialflightoperationshavestartedthismorningfromtheRajalinavalairstationinArakkonamnearChennai.

TrainservicesonthesuburbanChennaiArakonnamstretchwerepartiallyrestored.SouthernRailwayofficialssaidtheywereyettotakeacallonrestorationofservicesontheotherbusyTambaram-Chennaibeachroutewhichcoversbothbusinessandresidentialareas.

TheChennaiMetrolinecontinuedtowitnessenhancedpatronageinthewakeofsuspensionofbusandrailtransport.

Withafocusonintensifyingreliefandrescueoperationstoprovideaidtorain-hitpeopleofChennaiandadjoiningareas,theNDRFhasbolstereditsstrengthbyaddingtenmoreteamsforthejobandhasrescued9,000peopletillnow.

Directorgeneraloftheforce,OPSingh,saidhisteamsareexpectedtorescueandreachouttomorenumberofpeopletodayaswaterhasrecededinsomeplaces.

"Wehaverescuedabout9,000peopletillnow.TenmoreteamsfromPuneandPatnahavebeenmobilisedtoTamilNadu.Weexpecttohavebetterresultstodayasthingshaveimprovedandcommunicationisenhanced,"hesaid.

FiveteamsarrivedearlyonFridaymorningforthetaskatChennai,anofficialNDRFspokespersonsaid.

Theforcealreadyhas30teams,with40personnelineach,workingintheareasoftheTamilNaducapitalandadjoiningPuducherry.

TheNDRFhasalsopressedinabout110inflatableandotherkindsofboatsandnumeroussetsofbuoysandlifejacketswiththerescueandreliefteamssothattheneedyandthemaroonedgethelp.

Theforcehasalsoactivatedhelplinenumberatitscontrolroomhere--011-24363260,09711077372.

AmeetingoftheCrisisManagementGroup(CMG)isalsoscheduledtobeheldunderthechairmanshipofUnionhomesecretaryRajivMehrishitoreviewthepreparednessoftheagenciesalongwithofficialsofministriesofdefence,food,railways,agriculture,health,departmentoftelecommunications,andNationalDisasterManagementAuthority.