CHENNAI: A global tender to draw up a detailed plan for Cooum restoration is expected within a month, with a three-kilometre stretch of the river to be developed first as a demonstration project, a senior Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) official told TNIE. The tender for preparing the detailed project report (DPR) will be floated within 20 to 30 days after the state government grants administrative sanction.
The proposed tender was discussed at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Tuesday, where officials from CRRT, the municipal administration department and other agencies reviewed the progress made in preparing the project. Vijay directed officials to execute the restoration in phases through an integrated and sustainable approach.
Though CRRT has almost finalised the three-kilometre stretch, officials declined to disclose its location since they were currently examining whether the selected site falls within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). “The site is in the final stages of selection. Its CRZ status is being verified,” the official said.
The demonstration project will focus on developing the riverfront with pedestrian and cycling paths, walkways, viewing decks, green spaces and community facilities. Nature-based measures to improve the river’s immediate surroundings have also been proposed.
The overall restoration project will cover water-quality improvement, sewage management and the establishment of sewage treatment plants. The selected stretch will serve as a model for the riverfront-development component, the official added.
The state government has decided to invite global tenders to bring international technical expertise into the project. It is examining a concept plan and an action plan for the selected stretch, an official release said.
The Cooum restoration initiative was announced in the state’s revised budget 2026-27, with the stated objective of improving the city’s waterways and creating public spaces and amenities along the riverfront.
