CHENNAI: The city corporation has proposed eco-restoration and public realm development plans for two waterbodies in Vyasarpadi – the Old Goodshed Road Railway Pond and Kalyanapuram Pond - under the central government’s Urban Challenge Fund (UCF).
The initiative aims to improve the ecological function of the ponds and their role in groundwater recharge and flood mitigation, while also creating public-use spaces. The civic body currently maintains 246 ponds and has been rejuvenating around 70 to 80 waterbodies annually. Restoration works of around 230 ponds across the city have been completed, according to official data.
The Old Goodshed Road Railway Pond, which had been reduced to around 2.28 acres due to encroachments, has now been expanded to nearly 9.5 to 9.64 acres. The restored pond is expected to have a storage capacity of around 1.17 lakh cubic metres following the removal of invasive vegetation and debris left behind by earlier metro rail works, bund strengthening and construction of an inlet culvert. The restoration is expected to help reduce inundation in Nehru Nagar and MGR Nagar.
Following this, the civic body has now planned to extend the work by creating public spaces, including bund-top walking and cycling tracks, improved public access points, native and riparian plantations, bird-nesting zones, wetland-edge treatment, seating, solar lighting, signage and entry plazas.
The corporation has floated tenders to engage consultants to prepare detailed project reports for these projects. It will assess the physical and ecological condition of the ponds, land use, encroachments, drainage connections and access patterns before preparing a concept master plan.
Though the tenders have been floated as limited tenders, officials clarified the procurement process was adopted because the projects are time-bound.
“Limited tenders are approved for both emergency and time-bound works. Since these projects are being taken up under the centre’s UCF funding, we have to send the proposal to the Government of India as soon as possible to secure the funding without any delay,” a senior official said.
Proposed public amenities
Bund-top walking and cycling tracks Improved public access points Native and riparian plantations Bird-nesting zones
Wetland-edge treatment
Seating areas Solar lighting
Signage and entry plazas
Children’s play areas
Open-air gyms Viewing decks Boundary fencing and safety railings to prevent re-encroachment
