CHENNAI: The Water Resources Department (WRD) has submitted a proposal worth Rs 182 crore to the State government for flood mitigation work in south Chennai. A senior Water Resources Department official told TNIE that though the department has been maintaining 32 tanks in Velachery, Narayanapuram, Pallikaranai, Medavakkam, Duraipakkam, Pallavaram and the surrounding areas, there were no proper channels to connect them and mitigate floods.
After a survey in Medavakkam, Water Resources Department officials planned to build underground canals with a length of 70 metres, and stormwater drains. Presently, the canals span 6 metres. “Surveys have also been conducted in Duraipakkam, Pallavaram, and Keelkattalai. In these areas, we found that due to the rapid development of residential areas, it is tough to take up flood mitigation work. Besides, most waterbodies have been encroached. Only once the encroachments are removed can we begin the work. We have submitted a detailed report to the government,” the senior Water Resources Department official added.
Another official told TNIE that the department prepared several proposals to mitigate floods and strengthen reservoirs, and sent them to the government. The Water Resources Department has constructed an underground canal from Chitlapakkam to Sembakkam, and the rest of the work is set to begin once the government allocates funds.
S Srinivasan, a resident of Perumbakkam, told TNIE, “Interlinking of lakes helps mitigate floods and wastage of water, thus maintaining the water table to manage crises better.” He added that since most parts of the city get inundated during monsoons, the State government should allocate sufficient funds and start flood mitigation work at the earliest.
CM inspects laying of stormwater drains
Chennai: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday inspected work on stormwater drains, being done at a cost of `5.84 crore, in various parts of Adyar. He told officials to take up such projects in flood-prone areas with funds from the Singara Chennai 2.0 scheme, World Bank, and integrated stormwater drain in the Kosasthalaiyar Basin project.