Chennai: A well coordinated effort by various agencies brought some relief for the people of Tamil Nadu on Sunday and showed the much needed sign of normalcy with commercial flight services resumed after five days from Chennai International Airport.
In the morning, Air India, Jet Airways and Indigo have restarted their operations. The national carrier was the first to resume its service. They are running three flights from Chennai to Port Blair, New Delhi and Hyderabad. Jet Airways is operating between Chennai and Bengaluru and Indigo is operating on the Bangalore-Chennai-Mumbai-Delhi sectors.
Normal flight services started gaining momentum with clearances from various agencies including the Union ministries. Some flights are still stranded but from Monday onwards the services will be fully operational.
There are some concerns over flight landings but the officials are trying to get equipments for instrument landing. Currently, it is difficult to land aircraft based on visuals and therefore the authorities are trying to make arrangements for instruments landings especially after sun set.
For the last five days airport officials worked day and night - braving the rough weather - to make the area operational. Air India had stored food for the people on the ground, while few were sent home. Some including officials from Airport, CISF and Air India, stayed back at the airport for three nights for various technical checks on security to smoothen the process of flight landings and take offs.
Train services from Chennai Central have also resumed. Army, Navy and NDRF teams are on a war footing exercise to distribute food, water and medicines etc to the rain affected people.
Thousands took shelter in relief camps but the post flood possibility of epidemic is looming large over the city despite the fact that flood waters receded from many parts of the city. Though the state health department has issued precautionary advisories but many feel that the fear is not yet over.
Already, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have sent a high level team to Tamil Nadu to assess the situation and to provide help.
To deal with medical emergencies, the state government has also established emergency medical help lines. Hospitals are working round the clock and having a tough time in dealing with the heavy rush of patients with various health ailments.
There are allegations that rescue operations are being delayed due to poor coordination between rescue teams and local officials. According to the sources, no one from the local administration is ready to take call on relief material distribution while the Army, Navy and NDRF are handling operations independently.
Tamil Nadu government sources have told CNN-IBN that there were initial delays in coordination but multiple meetings were conducted with officials from both sides to sort out all issues.
Meanwhile, flood situation has eased in some of the worst affected areas as water levels in Adyar and Cooum Rivers and other channels came down following reduced discharge of water from Chembarambakkam, Puzhal and Poondi, and Red Hills rivers.
Electricity has been restored in several parts of the city including Velachery, Madipakkam, Adyar, Nesapakkam, Perungundi, Adambakkam, Nungambakkam, Besant Nagar, Adyar, T Nagar, and parts of Mylapore.
Subways including Duraisamy, Nanganallur Thillai Ganga Nagar, St. Thomas Mount etc in Chennai have reopened brining much relief to the commuters. Also, all the three subways close to Pazhavanthangal and Adambakkam became motorable.
Supply of milk and vegetables continued to remain erratic in many parts of the city and its neighbourhood, which is still reeling under water. Banking services is partially under control but fuel shortage reported from many parts of the city is taken care off.
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