Untreated sewage stagnating between the railway tracks near Pattabiram railway station has degraded borewell water and raised public health concerns among residents and suburban rail commuters, according to the Rail Passengers Association and residents of the area.
The sewage is reportedly being diverted into stormwater drains and accumulating between the two tracks adjacent to the station. Residents’ representatives said the stagnant wastewater has created conditions conducive to mosquitoes and poisonous insects, while groundwater used through borewells has changed colour, developed a foul smell and become difficult to rely on.
A Roy Rozario, president of the Rail Passengers Association and a Pattabiram resident, said he had written to the Chief Minister’s Cell, Southern Railway and Avadi Corporation seeking the diversion of the stormwater drain to Railway Road. He said no concrete action had been taken over the past four years to construct proper stormwater drains and reroute sewage along the road.
Rozario also said responsibility had moved between the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Avadi Corporation, while the Railways and defence authorities were involved because of the land ownership and use arrangements. He warned that the association could approach the National Green Tribunal if an urgent joint inspection was not conducted.
R Adkikesavan, vice-president of the Rail Passengers Association, said borewell water in the area had turned yellow. He said laboratory testing found total dissolved solids at three times the normal level, and that residents frequently detected a foul smell in the water. According to Adkikesavan, households near Railway Road were purchasing drinking water in cans and through tanker lorries, while residents had reported widespread skin diseases.
The concerns extend beyond the railway premises. Continued sewage stagnation and the reported deterioration of groundwater indicate a breakdown in the links between household sewage disposal, stormwater drainage, land administration and public water supply. The issue also affects commuters who pass through or use the station environment, although the supplied report does not provide an official assessment of health impacts on passengers.
A scheme to install drinking-water supply and sewage infrastructure in the area has reportedly remained incomplete since 2009. The report also noted that, during the recently concluded Assembly session, the TVK government announced a Rs 500-crore project for uninterrupted 24/7 drinking-water supply in Avadi Municipal Corporation.
An Avadi Corporation official said further action on rerouting the drainage would be taken because the land belongs to the Railways Department. The official also said encroachments alongside the railway property would be removed. Rozario, however, said the Railways had explained that the defence authorities had provided the land for railway use and that the department did not have the area sketch needed to move the encroachments.
Attempts to obtain a response from a railway official were unsuccessful, according to the report. The next step identified by the corporation is action on drainage rerouting and encroachment removal, while the residents’ association is seeking a joint inspection involving the relevant authorities.
