CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin is set to lay the foundation stone in September for the Adyar River Restoration Project (ARRP), aimed at rejuvenating the 44-km-long river that flows from Guduvanchery to the Bay of Bengal via Tambaram, Tiruneermalai, Manapakkam, Alandur, and Saidapet.
The Rs 1,800 crore project—funded with Rs 1,500 crore through the Chennai Rivers Transformation Company Ltd and Rs 300 crore from the state government—will be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) using a hybrid annuity model.Designated sewage treatment plants are proposed, and work is currently under way to prepare a detailed project report (DPR), expected to be submitted by August.
The DPR will be based on a joint inspection by experts from the Industries Department, researchers from higher educational institutions, and other technical specialists to assess feasibility and technical requirements. The project aims to enhance water quality by eliminating illegal sewage discharge, improving flood resilience, and creating green public spaces along the riverbanks.
Of the 9,539 identified families, 6,253 have already been resettled in Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenements. Homes for the remaining 3,286 families are ready. In May, 916 families from Anakaputhur were relocated to TNUHDB housing in Perumbakkam, Keerapakkam, and Thailavaram.
