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October 08, 2021 01:18 am | Updated 01:18 am IST – CHENNAI
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Hit a roadblock: The project to bridge the gaps in the surplus course between Retteri and the reservoir at Red Hills has remained a non-starter due to land acquisition problems.
Come monsoon, several localities prone to flooding in the city’s western and northern parts may just escape inundation. A few long pending schemes may get a new lease of life as the Water Resources Department has proposed to bridge the missing links in surplus courses between waterbodies.
The department plans to form a new channel to link surplus water from Paruthipattu lake, near Avadi, to the waterbody at Ayapakkam. Efforts are already on by the Highways Department to construct a drain along Poonamallee-Avadi High Road for about 600 m. An official of the WRD said, “The lake does not have a defined surplus course. This leads to waterlogging every time it fills up. We plan to form a new channel near Vasantham Nagar to carry 600 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of floodwater and connect it to the existing open channel that drains into the Ayappakkam Lake.”
Similarly, inundation in localities around the Porur Lake was one of the major challenges. The width of the 1.5-km surplus course was inadequate and possessed missing links. The ₹30-crore project, which has been pending, is expected to be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Officials said besides the widening of the existing channel, a cut-and-cover drain would be created to carry about 1,000 cusecs of floodwater till the Manapakkam Channel and then to Adyar river. Once the work is completed, areas like Iyyapanthangal, Gerugambakkam, Srinivasapuram and Moulivakkam may get relief from chronic waterlogging.
G. Natarajan, president, Mangala Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association, said the obstructions in all minor channels around the Porur Lake should be removed. Desilting of the waterbody and widening and forming of new channels should be expedited, he added.
The department plans to reinitiate projects to provide a permanent solution to inundation in Korattur and Madhavaram.
These have remained on paper owing to land acquisition issues and challenges of urbanisation.
The surplus channel from Korattur Lake to Retteri would need to be widened up to 40 m.
“We need to discharge nearly 1,300 cusecs of floodwater to prevent spillover in neighbouring areas. A new channel will be constructed near Chennai Bypass Road after acquiring land as per the Tamil Nadu Land Acquisition Laws (Revival of Operation, Amendment and Validation) Act, 2019,” an official said.
Another major project to bridge the gaps in the surplus course between Retteri and the reservoir at Red Hills has remained a non-starter for over two decades due to problems with land acquisition and compensation.
“As there is no proper channel, surplus water from one of the weirs of Retteri flooded various areas, including Balaji Nagar and Arignar Anna Nagar. We plan to form an 80- m wide open channel and link it to the Red Hills reservoir surplus course, near Vadaperumbakkam. This new channel, that can carry up to 3,000 cusecs, would also take the flow from the Thanikachalam Nagar drain,” the official added.
The projects in Korattur and Retteri are estimated to cost ₹120 crore and 80%-90% of the cost would go towards land acquisition. The WRD is waiting for funds for the projects, which are expected to be kick-started by January next year. It will implement temporary measures to control flooding and clean up minor channels in vulnerable areas this year.
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Chennai / water (natural resource) / flood / disaster management
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