Tirupati: Aspell of heavy rain is enough to throw life out of gear across the undivided Chittoor district. From Tirupati and Chittoor city to Puttur, Palamaner, Punganur, Kuppam and Srikalahasti, clogged drains, vanished lakes and encroached waterways trigger flooding year after year, leaving residents in low-lying areas anxious every monsoon.

Despite crores of rupees spent on storm water management, the results are meagre on the ground. People are often unable to sleep when it rains as within hours, water enters their homes in the low-lying areas.

The temple city, lying at the foothills of Seshachalam, is particularly vulnerable as nearly 20 waterfalls feed local lakes before draining into the Swarnamukhi River. But unchecked urbanisation has destroyed the natural channels. Pedda Cheruvu has been taken over for government offices, Peruru tank was built over, and Thummalagunta pond gave way to a cricket stadium. Avilala Cheruvu, once spread over 200 acres, was damaged during political events in 1992 and 2008 despite Supreme Court protection.

It is learnt that Tirupati once had 44 water bodies, of which six disappeared between 1975 and 1990, another ten between 1990 and 2004, and several more in the years that followed. An inlet channel that was originally 30 to 40 feet wide has now narrowed to barely 15 feet due to encroachments, a factor that contributed to the severe flooding witnessed in 2021.

Several colonies including Madhura Nagar, Railway Colony, Satyanarayana Puram, Sivajyothi Nagar and Bairagipatteda face routine inundation. A drainage canal project launched in 2015 on the Tirupati–Karakambadi stretch remains incomplete, while a Rs 189 crore package sanctioned in 2023 for canal restoration is stuck due to land issues and political hurdles.

Other towns show a similar pattern. In Puttur, the outlet canal of SR Cheruvu was blocked, flooding Jendamaanu Veedhi and Bhavani Nagar. In Palamaner, choked feeder channels to Eddula Cheruvu forced evacuations during heavy rain. In Chittoor, proposals for an underground drainage system remain unimplemented while silt-choked drains cause regular overflow.

The Tirupati Municipal Corporation, however, has initiated daily desilting of drains. Commissioner N Mourya directed officials to ensure free flow of rainwater while acknowledging complaints about leaking sewage lines and stagnation.

Experts warn that climate change is likely to bring more intense rainfall and say restoring natural waterways, clearing encroachments and building modern storm water systems are essential. They also stress that desilting drains before the monsoon could avert much of the flooding. Until then, residents across the district will continue to dread every passing cloud.