6 days Ago By Omjasvin M D
Chennai: In a bid to boost water storage and improve flood mitigation efforts, the Greater Chennai Corporation has planned to restore 35 ponds in the flood-prone Thiruvottiyur, Manali, and Madhavaram areas. Several neighbourhoods in these areas, such as Sadayankuppam, Kargil Nagar in Manali, and Vadaperumbakkam in Madhavaram, face intense flooding with water up to hip level every monsoon. Overall, these 35 ponds will be deepened by 20 feet, so as to enable them to hold at least 50 million litres of water.
In Madhavaram, GCC is building a walkway around the Padavettamman temple pond along with an open gym, watchman's room, and a children's play area. While water from these areas is drained at the rate of 30,000 cusecs through Kosasthalaiyar river via two channels — one the Red Hills Surplus and the other through drains connected to the river near Ernavoor — this still does not prevent flooding in local neighbourhoods. To tackle this, GCC will be restoring local ponds, including Vannar Kulam, Thamarai Kulam in Ennore, Padavettamman Kovil pond in Madhavaram, Kosapur, and Kargil Nagar ponds in Manali.
Madhavaram zonal chairman S Nandagopal said eight ponds are restored here at a cost of 4 crore. "Groundwater is bad in several neighbourhoods. Improving these ponds will ensure less reliance on Metrowater and private tankers.
The restoration will be completed by mid-Dec," he said, adding that the 139-acre Madhavaram Periya Thoppu lake will also be converted into an eco park. "We are also restoring the 400-acre Retteri lake at 43 crore. The works are progressing fast," he said.
In Manali, GCC is restoring the Kargil Nagar pond to divert water entering North Buckingham Canal. "At least 50 roads flooded here due to overflow of B Canal during rain. Water will be diverted to this pond, and this pond's surplus will reach the B Canal.
This will reduce the impact on the canal," said A V Arumugam, Manali zonal chairman. GCC is restoring a 26,625sqm pond at Kosapur in Manali, which can store 13.3 million litres.
This pond will be fenced. Wherever possible, officials said, ponds will have diversion channels to nearby STPs to deflect sewage, and drains could be connected..
