Channel to divert surplus water from Ambattur lake to Cooum river

Every Northeast monsoon, people in Korattur and the Ambattur Industrial Estate are forced to endure inundation and power outages for at least four days. To alleviate these recurring issues, a channel will soon be built to divert a portion of surplus water from Ambattur lake to Cooum river.
The Water Resources Department (WRD) has kick-started the process of launching a ₹130-crore project to mitigate inundation in the western parts of the city. The work is likely to begin by this month-end.
The lack of sufficient culverts along Pattaravakkam railway line to channel surplus water from Ambattur lake led to waterlogging in places such as the Ambattur Industrial Estate. The department had regulated outflows from waterbodies in Avadi, Ambattur, Ayapakkam and Paruthipattu. However, some parts continued to face inundation, officials said.
J. Gopalakrishnan, president, Korattur Federation of Residents' Welfare Association said: 'The rainy season is often a nightmare for residents in low-level areas. Rainwater entered several houses on 27th, 28th, and 29th streets and Venkatraman Nagar, and residents suffered without electricity for four days. The channel must be built before the upcoming monsoon to avoid another year of misery.'
The WRD is awaiting the Government Order to construct a five-km long channel to carry a portion of surplus water from Cookson Road junction in Ambattur industrial estate to Cooum river near Maduravoyal.
The four-metre-wide channel, which would carry about 400 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water, would reduce the burden on other waterways, including Otteri Nullah, and alleviate recurring floods in Korattur and Ambattur Industrial Estate.
Surplus water from Ambattur lake otherwise travels through Pattaravakkam and Korattur, and drains into Korattur lake. From there, it flows into Otteri Nullah and Retteri lake through two weirs. Once the channel is built, only about 400 cusecs of rainwater from local catchment would travel through these localities before draining into Korattur lake, officials said.
Ambattur MLA Joseph Samuel said various other measures were also on the cards. Funds are awaited to desilt and restore Korattur lake, and also improve North Canal in Korattur.

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