Ahead of monsoon, Chennai canals get clean up

Ahead of the northeast monsoon, work to desilt the Virugambakkam-Arumbakkam drain stretch and the Otteri Nullah is on at a rapid pace. Besides desilting, the Public Works Department (PWD) has also cleared encroachments and demolished some structures that hindered the flow, including a historical bridge built near Binny Mills.

PWD officials expect the work to be completed by October 15. “This is part of the `633 crore project allotted to the PWD by Chennai Corporation. Along with desilting and widening of canals, we are building pre-cast walls to protect it from encroachment and ensure a steady flow. We will also be building diversion channels in the Virugambakkam-Aurmbakkam drain and Otteri Nullah as a precaution measure to stop flooding in the area,” an official said.

Otteri Nullah orginates from Padi near West Annas Nagar and runs for a length of 10.84 km and confluences with Buckingham Canal near Basin Bridge. PWD sources said during heavy rains in 2005, the Nullah breached its banks and inundated dwelling areas in Anna Nagar, Kilapuk, Otteri, Puliyanthope, Perambur, Vyasarpadi, Kannigapuram, Cooks Road and Binny Mill Road.

“We will also be building a diversion concrete channel from K4 police station to K3 Police station at a cost of Rs 21.3 crore. This is being built as the maximum discharge observed at K4 police station is 1,000 cusecs and the original carrying capacity is 400 cusecs. This will reduce the inundation,” a senior PWD official said.

Interestingly, before the work was started the nullah’s flow was restricted by encroachments and waste thrown by people. “We have cleared 60,000 cubic metres of silt which is disposed to far off places in the city. At some stretch the nullah was only six metres wide. Now after the desilting and widening, it is 16 metres wide at some places and in some areas 30 metres wide,” he added.

To ensure the flow, PWD has also demolished some structures that hindered the flow of water and one was a historical bridge built near Binny Mills.

Similarly, the desilting and widening of 6.36 km Virugambakkam-Arumbakkam drain which orginates near Chinmaya Nagar and confluences in river Cooum near Nelson Manickam Road is also nearing completion. This would bring relief to Chinmaya Nagar, Sai Nagar, Mazid Nagar, MMDA Colony, Arumbakam, Choolaimedu and Railway Colony. These were inundated for 56 hours during 2005 flood, said a PWD official.

The work on Rs 32.45 crore diversion channel from Chinmaya Nagar bridge to Cooum river will begin in January by building a pre-cast structure. The work will be completed by March 2013.  Currently, pre-cast walls are being built along the embankments. “Six JCB and 10 lorries are pressed into service and are being monitored by our engineers daily,” said a PWD official.

Meanwhile, a biometric survey is being conducted to identify the encroachments in the area. This is being done to avoid any slippage and duplication in allotment of slum tenements. A proposal has been submitted to slum clearance board through Chennai corporation,” a PWD official said.