CM launches flood mitigation works in Chennai suburbs

“Due to floods during northeast monsoon, waterbodies such as Adyar river, Arani river, Kosasthalai river, Cooum and Kovalam often get flooded and water inundates nearby residential areas. To prevent flooding a fund of Rs 100 crore was announced for mitigation works in the state Assembly on June 29, this year, under section 110 of Tamil Nadu Assembly Rules,” said the Chief Minister after inaugurating the flood mitigation works.

He also said that after detailed examination waterways were established in various parts of suburban areas of the city, including the road from Chennai Bypass to Mudichur Road junction to Pappan canal and Pallikaranai from Narayanapuram lake till Pallikaranai marsh. Both the works were carried out at a cost of Rs 20 crore each.

Similarly, waterways were established in Adanur lake surplus water canal area at the cost of Rs 8.5 crore and Pappan canal at the cost of Rs 7 crore. Flood mitigation works, including setting up of alternate ways to release excess water in waterbodies were setup in Adyar riverbed in Nandhivaram and lakes such as Nanmangalam, new Tambaram, Irumbuliyur and Ottiyambakkam lakes. The works were carried out at the cost of Rs 3.2 crore.

Similarly, desilting and strengthening of bunds were carried out in Manimangalam lake at the cost of Rs 2 core and in Adyar riverbed in Adanur and in Guduvancheri, Urapakkam lakes and in Nanmangalam lake in Kovalam riverbed at the cost ofRs 4 crore.

Bunds to connect Arambakkam and Orathur lakes were constructed at the cost of Rs 1.5 crore. The bunds will act as water storage in Orathur river, a tributary of Adyar river. Storm water drainage was constructed under the road between Oorapakkam and Nandivaram lakes at the cost of Rs 2 core and water ways to release excess water from Thiruniravur lake at the cost of Rs 40 lakh was built. The new flood mitigation works will help more than six lakh people residing in Tambaram, Perungulatur, Mudichur, Varadharajapuram, Selaiyur, Pallikaranai and suburban areas of Chennai and to save 172 million cubic feet of water.