The draft master plan for the Integrated Cooum River Eco Restoration Plan is likely to be ready by September.
LKS India Private Limited was chosen as the consultant to prepare the master plan to restore Cooum River, the infamous polluted waterway running across the city. The eco-restoration project, spearheaded by the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT), aims at cleaning the 32-km polluted stretch between Paruthipattu anicut near Avadi and the mouth of the river.
LKS India’s director Sandeep Jain said that the suggestions made by the residents and representatives of the NGOs would be incorporated into the draft master plan. Residents and NGOs would be consulted once again and the master plan would then be submitted to the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited in October.
Besides identifying projects to manage solid waste generated, the master plan would also provide solutions to plug sewage outfalls and improve capacity to treat sewage. One of the recommendations considered is to lay a pipeline to intercept sewage outfalls and connect them to the existing sewer network.
There are also plans to create a river front, with developments such as parks, cycle tracks and walkways in urbanised stretches including Anna Nagar, Choolaimedu and Aminjikarai. Proposals for relocation of residents would also be provided.
The consultant also tested water samples at 30-metre stretches along the river. The biochemical oxygen demand limit in the samples varied from 30 mg/l to 300 mg/l in the 32-km stretch. The tolerance limit is below 5 mg/l.
Various government agencies such as Chennai Corporation and Chennai Metrowater would also be consulted before preparing the master plan.
Officials of the CRRT said the draft master plan would be made available on www.tnuifsl.com.
Suggestions on making the information available at public places would also be considered. Details such as funding patterns and project costs would be decided after the master plan is prepared.
