
CHENNAI: The Water Resources Department has temporarily taken over a part of the Indian Coast Guard premises to set up an Integrated Command Control (ICC) system for the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) technology which is used to monitor and manage Chennai’s drinking water reservoirs.
A senior official told TNIE the SCADA system, which is implemented at a cost of `32 crore, will be set up at Poondi, Chembarambakkam, Redhills, and the Sirukadal canal. Data from the field level systems will be monitored remotely from the ICC which will also house the main servers for now.
“The technology will automate gate operations, regulate water release during heavy inflow, and help reduce the risk of flooding downstream,” the official said.
To strengthen monitoring, the WRD plans to set up sub-control centres at Poondi, Chembarambakkam, and Redhills.
Another senior official said the department had originally planned to set up the ICC at the PWD headquarters in Chepauk. However, discussions are under way on whether to use existing space on the PWD premises or construct a new building. “Once a final decision is taken, the main server will be moved to Chepauk.
Until then, we will use the Coast Guard premises, which belong to the PWD,” the official added. The official also said the WRD is in the process of procuring software, computers, and other materials necessary for the system from various parts of the country. “We are also planning to import specific software components from Germany,” he said.
The SCADA system is already functioning successfully at the Gorakhpur reservoir in Uttar Pradesh. “In the first week of February, a WRD team is planning to visit Gorakhpur to study its implementation,” the official said.
He further noted a SCADA system was earlier introduced at the Mukkombu dam near Tiruchy but it requires manual intervention by WRD staff. However, in Chennai’s reservoirs, the system is automated, with officials monitoring real-time data on a large screen. “If any errors occur, they can be addressed immediately,” he said.
Officials believe once it is fully implemented, the SCADA system will significantly improve water management and flood control in Chennai.