Complete flood mitigation works before the onset of the northeast monsoon, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena tells officials

Chennai Chief Secretary directs flood mitigation work completion before northeast monsoon, inspects various projects worth crores.

Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena directed the officials of several departments to complete flood mitigation work before the onset of the northeast monsoon, after inspecting a slew of projects on Sunday, February 25.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “In Gerugambakkam, Kolapakkam, Mugalivakkam, and Manappakkam, the Water Resources Department (WRD) has taken up flood mitigation work at roughly ₹180 crore, which will be completed by July or August. Once this is done, even with water flowing in from the Porur lake and the western region through storm-water drains, these areas will not be affected. Similarly, there are drains connected to the Adyar. Work to erect shutters to prevent water overflow will begin in two days. The land acquisition process for laying the drain pipeline via Velachery-Tambaram to the Pallikaranai marshland is in its final stages, and the work is expected to be completed before the northeast monsoon commences. Earlier, a temporary pipeline was installed there.”

Regarding the complaints about illegal release of sewage and wastewater by tankers into storm-water drains, Mr. Meena told The Hindu, “A legislative provision to curb illegal discharge by tankers was passed in 2023. As per this, the issue can be checked and the vehicles seized.”

The Chennai Metropolitan Drinking Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act was passed in January 2023 to stop tankers from illegally discharging sewage and wastewater into open spaces or waterbodies.

Mr. Meena inspected the works for surplus water channels around Porur lake and the construction of a water treatment plant in Kancheepuram district, both worth an estimated ₹34 crore.

He also inspected several WRD projects, including the construction, widening, and dredging of a retaining wall along Kolappakkam canal-2 at in Alandur at ₹8.74 crore, construction of new cut-and-cover channel from Kolapakkam channel along Kolapakkam-Pozhichalur Road at ₹11.72 crore, and upgradation of Gerugambakkam channel in Kundrathur at ₹19.16 crore.

Mr. Meena also reviewed the quality of the roadworks undertaken by the Highways Department on a 1.5-km stretch in Velachery, eco-restoration work at a cost of ₹42.25 crore by the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) in zone 9, reclaimed land in Perungudi dumping yard, and the construction of a bathroom under the public–private partnership model on Loop Road along Marina Beach.