Chennai: Chief Minister Vijay laid the foundation stone for the Rs. 3,108 crore project to install a main ring pipeline to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply to Chennai city. He also personally inspected the ongoing flood prevention works in the Pallikaranai and Okkiyam Maduvu areas in view of the northeast monsoon.
To supply drinking water to Chennai, there are 9 drinking water sources, including the lakes at Poondi, Puzhal, Cholavaram, and Chembarambakkam, as well as desalination plants. Through these, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board supplies 1,260 million liters of drinking water every day to about 9.1 million households in Chennai. Under the current system, drinking water is supplied only from one station to specific areas. As a result, there is no way to divert surplus water from other sources to areas facing shortages.
To address this, during the previous DMK regime, the “Main Ring Pipeline Project” (Ring Main System) was planned to be implemented at a cost of Rs. 3,108 crore with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The foundation stone-laying ceremony for this was held yesterday at the drinking water pumping station in Cholinganallur. Chief Minister Vijay attended as the special guest and laid the foundation stone for the project. Subsequently, officials briefed Chief Minister Vijay on the project’s activities.
Highlights
Through this project, a total of 9 treatment plants will be integrated: 5 drinking water purification plants, 3 seawater desalination plants, and the currently being set up 400 million liter seawater desalination plant in Perur. Pipelines will be laid for 91.20 km of distribution lines, 64.20 km of drinking water transmission lines, and 2.65 km of pumping mains. Modern sensor devices will be installed in these structures to measure water pressure, quality, and flow. From the control room at the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board headquarters, these can be continuously monitored, and regular drinking water supply can be managed automatically. Through this, drinking water will be supplied to the people of Chennai in a steady quantity as needed, without interruption in all seasons, according to a press release issued by the Tamil Nadu government.
Inspection in Pallikaranai
Following this, Chief Minister Vijay visited Okkiyam Maduvu in the Karappakkam area of Sholinganallur. He inspected the flood prevention works being carried out by the Water Resources Department in the Pallikaranai marshland and the southern Buckingham Canal areas in anticipation of the northeast monsoon.
Okkiyam Maduvu serves as the lifeline drainage channel of South Chennai. The surplus water from lakes in the suburban areas of South Chennai joins the Pallikaranai marshland and reaches the sea only through Okkiyam Maduvu, the South Buckingham Canal, and the Muttukadu estuary. During Cyclone Michaung in December 2023, this waterway was blocked, causing rainwater to stagnate for several days and affect areas including Velachery, Pallikaranai, Perungudi, and Thoraipakkam. To provide a permanent solution, Okkiyam Maduvu has been desilted, deepened, and widened.
Flood protection walls have been built to safeguard the people of Kannagi Nagar. The Karappakkam bridge, which was obstructing flood flow, is being converted by Chennai Metro Rail into a 120-meter-wide elevated bridge. Water hyacinth and debris in the lakes and canals of Oggiyam Maduvu, Velachery, Kovilambakkam, Narayanapuram, and Adambakkam are being removed using heavy machinery. In addition, the Muttukadu estuary is being kept continuously open so that rainwater can quickly flow into the sea. The surplus water canals in the Tambaram and Pallavaram areas are being cleaned, and the sluice gates are also being maintained.
Chief Minister’s Order
During this review, all work must be completed quickly before the monsoon intensifies. Rescue machinery should be kept ready in areas prone to flooding. Chief Minister Vijay instructed officials to monitor water levels day and night. Ministers N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, P. Venkataramanan, Rajmohan, N. Maria Wilson, R. Kumar, Municipal Administration Department Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Water Resources Department Secretary Prashant M. Vadanare, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board Managing Director T. Anand, Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Samiran, and senior officials from the concerned departments took part in these events.
