Residents welcome Corpn. move to revamp Otteri Nullah, demand steps to remove encroachments
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has rolled out a ₹65-crore plan to desilt and raise the walls of the 10.8-km-long Otteri Nullah. The maintenance of the canal was transferred from the Water Resources Department (WRD) to the GCC in October 2024.
Meanwhile, residents say that unless the effluent discharge is stopped and encroachments removed, floods will continue to plague the city during monsoon, and health risks abound.
Welcoming the GCC project, Sandhya Vedullapallai of the Federation of Anna Nagar Residents' Association said, 'A study to analyse the air quality, as well as measures to curb the release of effluents, such as household sewage and wastewater from factories in Pattaravakkam and Ambattur Industrial Estate, into the waterbody are crucial.'
People living close to the canal need to replace their air conditioners every three months as the air is toxic, she added.
According to her, dredging and rejuvenation alone will not fully prevent inundation in Anna Nagar and Perambur, and flood diversions have been planned to address this.
Surplus water
'Flooding is mainly because of surplus water received by Otteri Nullah from Ayapakkam, Ambattur, Kolathur, and Villivakkam lakes during the monsoon. This leads to backflow of water from the Buckingham Canal, which in turn results in overflow from the canal,' Ms. Vedullapalli further said.
According to J.M.S. Nagarajan of the Alliance of Residents' Welfare Associations and Anna Nagar Western Extension Association, a Madras High Court ruling had directed the Corporation Commissioner to look for encroachments adjacent to the Otteri Nullah, and remove them.
'But this exercise is yet to be undertaken. Encroachments and the dumping of garbage reduce the width of the Nullah considerably,' he added.
Detailed Project Report
The GCC's project is planned to be taken up in Royapuram, Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar, and Anna Nagar Zones (V, VI and VIII) from near Padi Flyover to Buckingham Canal.
The DPR proposed bridge and infrastructure improvements, canal maintenance and desilting, pollution control, prevention of encroachments, and the creation of a blue-green corridor.
'Bathymetry and drone LiDAR surveys have been conducted for topographical and hydraulic assessment. The tender for this project is expected to be finalised on July 7. Work will begin after this. Roughly ₹5 crore is allocated for cleaning waste and desilting alone. The project includes the removal of 2.95 lakh cubic metres of sludge, plastic waste, and weeds, using machines that can dig up to 8 metres,' an official in the Storm Water Drain Department of the Chennai Corporation said.
'Bathymetry and drone LiDAR surveys have been conducted for topographical and hydraulic assessment. The tender for this project is expected to be finalised on July 7. Work will begin after this. Roughly ₹5 crore is allocated only for cleaning waste and desilting. The project includes the removal of 2.95 lakh cubic metres of sludge, plastic waste, and weeds using machines that can dig up to 8 metres,' said an official in the Storm Water Drain Department of the Chennai Corporation.
Otteri Nullah GCC overview
Canal Name: Otteri Nullah
Length: 10.8 km
Longest drainage channel with multiple connecting drains, prone to encroachments.
The Otteri Nullah begins at the 100 Feet Road near Anna Nagar 18th Street and flows through Anna Nagar, RV Nagar, VOC Nagar, Kilpauk Garden, Kellys, Perambur, and Kannigapuram, before discharging into the North Buckingham Canal near Basin Bridge
The maximum depth of Otteri Nullah is 2.5 metres, according to Greater Chennai Corporation' DPR.
It carries a flood discharge of 3,600 cusecs as per WRD records. The canal intersects with 32 cross culverts and has 27 existing bridges, of which seven are identified as major bottlenecks. Flooding issues in Chennai's Urban Drainage system
GCC noted that there is an increasing frequency of urban flooding as experienced in 1943, 1976, 1985, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2021, and 2023 due to heavy rainfall and cyclonic activity. Hotspots
After recurrent floods during the North-East Monsoon in 2017, 2021 and 2023, six flooding hotspots were identified along the canal: from Thirumangalam Road Bridge to GCC Park; along Anna Nagar 6th Avenue Road; near the K4 Police Station Bridge; in tree-lined street flanks; across the Avadi Road Bridge near a collection pond; and areas adjacent to SPR City and other high-rise developments, GCC's Detailed Project Report (DPR) stated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
'Ungaludan Stalin' camps to be conducted from July 15
'Ungaludan Stalin' camps would begin on July 15 in six wards of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). According to a release, volunteers will distribute application forms door-to-door from Monday. The details about services and documents will be provided a week in advance to the public. Medical services will be included at the camps. Applications will be processed within 45 days. On July 15, camps, will be held in Ward 25 under Madhavaram Zone, Ward 38 in Tondiarpet Zone, Ward 76 in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar Zone, Ward 109 in Teynampet Zone, Ward 143 in Valasaravakkam Zone, and Ward 168 in Adyar Zone, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Two camps will be held in each of the 200 wards from July 15 to October 31, with about 2,000 volunteers. In the first phase from July 15 to August 14, 109 wards will be covered.
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
LBP canal renovation in Erode to be over by August 15: WRD
ERODE: The Water Resources Department (WRD) plans to complete by August 15 the renovation of the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) Canal which is a major water source for farmers in Erode, Tiruppur and Karur districts. Officials informed that 94% of the renovation work has been completed and that water will be released for irrigation from the Lower Bhavani Dam only after the work is fully completed and it is not possible to open the water in advance. The LBP Canal supports an extensive ayacut area of 2,07,000 acres, providing water to thousands of farmers who rely on it for cultivation and livelihood. To enhance the structural integrity and water-carrying efficiency of the canal system, comprehensive renovation works were initiated in 2021. This project is being implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 709.6 crore. Renovation work is carried out on the canal on days when water from the dam is not released for irrigation. There has been a demand among farmers and political parties to release water from the dam for the first phase of the LBP irrigation ahead of the usual date of August 15. A senior WRD official in Erode said, "As of last year, 85% of the renovation work has been completed and the remaining work resumed after the end of the irrigation season on April 30. It is currently in progress at 115 locations.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
The right kind of vandalism
'As I picked up the brush to paint a mural at Cenotaph Road, I finally felt like I was doing something for myself, after decades,' says Subathra S, a homemaker. 'It took me back to my childhood, to the days I used to paint. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The fact that I was helping society was an added benefit.' The 44-year-old had spent all her adult life looking after her family and the house after she got married, cooking three meals for the family, helping kids with their homework and ferrying them to school. She had no time for herself, and her passion for painting took a backseat. So, when she came across the announcement from the non-profit Karam Korpom Foundation, about a wall painting project to beautify defaced walls across the city, she immediately wanted to participate. Several NGOs in the city are working with volunteers such as Subathra to put an end to the abuse and defacement of walls in residential areas, parks, schools, and other public spaces by beautifying them with paintings. Awareness messages on conservation of the environment, murals of children reading, proverbs, artwork featuring flowers, sceneries, Tamil culture and tradition, the importance of wellness and health, all find a place on these walls. Community engagement is crucial, says V Umamaheshwari, co-founder of Karam Korpom Foundation. 'People have a tendency to abuse an already disfigured place further. However, when we involve the community or the residents of an area in the painting process, the fact that they painted a section of a wall or even something as small as a flower, gives them a sense of ownership over the place. They feel the need to maintain it.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In 2023, following a Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) drive against defacement of public property, police lodged complaints against 340 individuals for defacing walls by sticking posters. Besides curbing defacements, wall paintings also motivate school children to come to school or visit the school library. 'A govt school in Pallavaram struggled with attendance, partly due to its dull appearance. The students started to look forward to coming to class every day after the walls of the school turned pretty, the teachers told us,' says Kaitlyn Jessica, one of the volunteers of United Way of Chennai, another NGO that works with wall paintings for a cause. 'The knowledge that I could contribute to this cause makes me happy.' S Ravikanth Venkataraman, a teacher at the school, says, 'The colourful makeover has made our library a favourite hangout spot for students. They're excited about coming in and spending time here. Even if it's because of the bright walls, I'm glad they're now picking up books and reading them.' The next time you pass by Holy Angels School in T Nagar or govt school Tambaram, watch out for the vibrant figurines and the colourful flowers blooming on the walls.
