The work on various major and minor waterways in the southern parts of the city is set to accelerate to ensure immediate relief from floods during the northeast monsoon.
Commissioner of Revenue Administration (CRA) K. Phanindra Reddy inspected the work being done in various areas on Wednesday. He directed the officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) and various other government agencies to speed up the projects before the next round of rains.
He inspected various water channels including Veerangal Odai, Madurpakkam Odai, Ottiampakkam Surplus Course, Thanthical Channel near Ayyapanthangal and Pappan Channel on Mudichur Service Road.
Sri Reddy also reviewed the monsoon preparedness works at various points of Adyar river, including the confluence of Thirumudivakkam bridge and Chembarambakkam surplus channel, near Kishkinta road. Besides removing vulnerable stretches of water channels, he directed officials to be ready with pumping machinery to clear stagnant flood waters in areas like Semenchery, Ottiyambakkam and Perumbakkam.
WRD officials noted that the 6-km long Chembarambakkam surplus course and the confluence site with the Adyar river are being cleared of vegetation to allow free flow of water.
The desilting work was also being done in several additional courses. Sri Reddy also directed the officials to create temporary channels to connect water bodies or rivers wherever the links were missing.
Several long-term flood mitigation projects in the southern parts of the city are in various stages of implementation and funds have been tied up. However, these will be taken after monsoon. Therefore, temporary measures are being taken to handle the northeast monsoon, officials said.
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