CHENNAI: Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metro Water) has obtained Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance to construct an underground sewage network in Okkiyam Thoraipakkam area in Sholinganallur zone, which presently lacks an organised sewage disposal system.
The clearance has been accorded during a recent Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) meeting. As per the proposal, the Metro Water will construct underground sewage lines for a total of 84 kilometers at a cost of Rs 266 crore. The project will include six new pumping stations and three lifting stations. Of the total 84 kilometres of proposed sewage lines, about 4 kilometres fall within the CRZ area.
Once completed, more than 14,000 households in Okkiyam Thoraipakkam (divisions 193, 194 and 195) will be benefited. The project was first announced in the state assembly in August 2021.
The Metro Water has estimated a sewage generation of 38 million litres per day (MLD) in Okkiyam Thoraipakkam by 2055. Once the underground sewer line is completed, the generated sewage will be sent to plants in Perungudi and Sholinganallur for treatment. Presently, households in the project area have their own septic tanks and the tanks are being cleaned using tanker lorries.
Earlier, the Metro Water proposed to construct underground sewage lines in VPG Avenue Extension and Nehru Nagar. But, the state forest department identified the areas as encroachments on Pallikaranai Marshland and razed down the buildings. Following the action, the Metro Water changed the alignment of the sewage network to avoid damaging the wetland area.
In June 2022, the state municipal administration and water supply department issued a G.O. sanctioning the fund for the project under AMRUT 2.0 under which the state government and union government provide 30% and 25% of the project cost while remaining amount will be spent by the Metro Water.
The department has estimated that Okkiyam Thoraipakkam will house a population of 3.14 lakh by 2055.