CHENNAI: The Water Resources Department (WRD) is undertaking a feasibility study on linking Kosasthalaiyar and Arani rivers in a bid to mitigate flooding and combat seawater intrusion.
An official told TNIE that the primary objective of the project is to reduce the impact of seawater intrusion on residents of North Chennai.
“To manage surplus water in Kosasthalaiyar river, a canal is being constructed in select areas of Tiruvallur. WRD has also proposed to construct canals near Panchetti and Pudhuvayal villages to facilitate interconnection of rivers,” the official added. He said, “The project could effectively control seawater intrusion and lead to better groundwater levels which have significantly dropped near North Chennai.”
Another official said WRD is pursuing measures to prevent a repeat of the floods in 2015, and the river linking project is one such initiative, with inputs and suggestions from the Tiruppugazh committee.
In a collaborative effort, the state government and a Japanese agency are conducting inspections and commissioning a feasibility report for Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvalur and an allocation of Rs 5 crore is made. Moreover, WRD is focused on clearing encroachments in river beds as part of their comprehensive plan, the official added.