Coastal Regulation Zone clearance given for Kovalam SWD works

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has successfully received the approval from the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management to go ahead with the construction of storm water drains (SWD) in Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Neelankarai, Injambakkam, and Uthandi in Kovalam Basin, south Chennai. The civic body was forced to stop the works due to opposition from residents of the areas.

The clearance is followed by an order from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that mandated the civic body to avail requisite CRZ (coastal regulation zone) clearance. “Now that we’ve received clearance, a proposal has been sent to the central CRZ management authority for final approval. Works will commence after we receive it,” a Chennai Corporation official told DT Next.

With funding assistance from the German Development Bank (KfW), the GCC commenced construction of SWD in Kovalam Basin a few years ago. It entered into an agreement with KfW in March 2020 to receive Rs 1,700 crore in funding to construct SWDs.

As the project was segregated into M1, M2 and M3 components, work began in M3 component — Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Neelankarai, Injambakkam and Uthandi. However, it was stopped after

NGT directed the civic body to revisit the detailed project report.

Drains for 52 km will be constructed at a cost of Rs 309 crore under M3 component. Of the total length, 32 km falls under CRZ-II zone and the remaining 19 km falls under non-CRZ zone.

On the other hand, the works have already commenced in M1 and M2 components. During the meeting, Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi instructed SWD contractors to complete their work in Kovalam Basin on a priority basis in places wherever there’s a risk of waterlogging.