Chennai: Sandwiched between the Greater Chennai Corporation and Tambaram corporation limits, Medavakkam has seen its population soar from 40,312 in 2016 to 94,665 in 2026. This village panchayat has emerged as a highly sought-after residential destination due to its proximity to OMR, Velachery, Pallavaram, and Tambaram. Consequently, the per square foot rate for a residential apartment has jumped from ₹3,250 in 2021 to over ₹6,500. However, civic infrastructure has failed to keep pace with this rapid development. Here are the key civic woes of South Chennai's fastest-growing residential locality.
Roads
Medavakkam has 537 roads maintained by the St Thomas Mount block. Many interior roads are riddled with potholes, making commuting difficult. Panchayat records show that 185 roads were laid over the past five years at a cost of ₹19.69 crore. Officials estimate that an additional ₹12 crore is needed to lay 75 more roads. Most traffic passes through the 16-km Velachery–Tambaram arterial road, of which nearly 5 km falls within Medavakkam. Last year, the highways department began road-widening work near the Medavakkam Main Road junction, but the project remains incomplete, causing severe traffic congestion along a stretch of nearly 4 km. It takes more than 30 minutes just to cross the bottleneck. M Thirunavukarasu, divisional engineer of the highways department, stated, “We have been regularly conducting encroachment clearance drives with traffic police. Congestion is mainly caused when people visiting nearby commercial establishments park their vehicles by the roadside. We will enforce regulations and penalise violators.”
Waste Management
Unlike areas under corporation limits where garbage is collected daily, panchayat workers collect waste only twice a week in many neighborhoods. Mathi Kumar, secretary of the SSJ Nagar Residents Welfare Association, said, “Garbage collection is done haphazardly and there is no segregation at source. In areas such as Surya Nagar and Sathya Sai Nagar, waste is dumped in open spaces and not cleared for a week.” The locality generates about 80 tonnes of waste every day. A pond that once supplied water has been converted into an eight-acre dumpyard. Heaps of rotting meat, vegetables, and plastic waste pile up, posing health risks to locals. M Venkataragavan, commissioner and block development officer of St Thomas Mount panchayat union, said, “We have established a waste segregation plant at the dumpyard at ₹25 lakh. Waste is segregated there before being transported. We do not have any other place to store the garbage temporarily. All waste generated here is eventually taken to the Appur landfill for biomining.”
Water Supply and Stormwater Drains
Medavakkam requires an estimated 13.5 million litres of water per day. Most households depend on private water tankers and tractors, paying around ₹600 for 2,000 litres and up to ₹2,500 for 6,000 litres. Although pipelines have been laid in some areas under the Jal Jeevan Mission, resident S Ravi Kumar said they have not yet received water through them. The area lacks an underground sewage network, forcing households to rely on septic tanks. In several areas, sewage finds its way into stormwater drains before reaching lakes. Venkataragavan noted, “Around 60 km of stormwater drains have been laid over the past five years at ₹2.5 crore. Steps are being taken to ensure piped water supply to residents.”
Lakes
Medavakkam has three major lakes: Periya Eri, Kalleri, and Sitheri (Chinna Eri). Periya Eri, once spread across nearly 200 acres, now covers only 50 acres. The water resources department, with CSR support from a private foundation, restored the lake last year at ₹1 crore, including a 1.5-km walkway. However, residents say nearly 50 buildings have encroached upon the lake bunds. Kalleri, once 30 acres, has shrunk to six acres and serves as a natural channel carrying surplus water from Periya Eri to Sitheri. It is now filled with water hyacinth and sewage. Sitheri, the last lake in the chain, connects a natural channel that carries surplus water to Narayanapuram Lake, Pallikaranai marshland, and the Buckingham Canal. The channel is clogged with garbage and sewage, preventing free water flow. According to an IIT study conducted last year, Periya Eri recorded a dissolved oxygen (DO) level of 5.11 mg/L, indicating moderate water quality. Kalleri was classified as heavily polluted with a high DO of 10.19 mg/L. Chinna Eri was the most polluted, with a DO level of just 0.14 mg/L. R Arunmozhi, executive engineer of WRD, said, “Large-scale encroachment of the bunds and catchment areas are the biggest problem in Sitheri and Kalleri. The department cannot begin restoration work unless these encroachments are removed. We have completed land surveys, identified encroachers, and issued notices. Necessary steps will be taken soon.” Sholinganallur MLA P Saravanan said they have just begun inspecting the area.
