In its efforts to create a new reservoir in Tiruvallur district, the Water Resources Department (WRD) will soon float tenders to start work on linking two water bodies in Kannankottai and Thervoikandigai, which come under the Gummidipoondi taluk.
The proposed reservoir will be able to store one thousand million cubic feet of water, when it is filled twice — equal to one month’s drinking water supply in Chennai. This will serve as the fifth reservoir to cater to the water needs of the city, and will also store Krishna water from Andhra Pradesh.
According to WRD officials, a detailed report for the project, which is worth Rs. 330 crore has been prepared. A consultant has been appointed to conduct environmental studies and get clearance from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for the project.
“We expect environment clearance to be obtained by the end of this month. We plan to float tenders for the work by mid-September,” an official said.
The new reservoir, which will have a water-spread area of nearly 1,100 acres, will be located 14 km from Uthukottai, the inter-state border of the Kandaleru-Poondi canal.
Of the nearly 1,300 acres of land required to implement the project, nearly 600 acres are government land.
The process to obtain ‘enter-upon permission’ from the Tiruvallur collectorate is also underway. A separate unit is being formed along with the collectorate for the land acquisition process.
About 700 acres of ‘patta’ lands have to be acquired and nearly Rs.170 crore has been set aside for land acquisition. “We plan to create an earthen bund at a length of 7.1 km and a height of up to 14 metres using excavated sand,” said an official. An 8.3 km-long canal will also be formed and linked with the Kandaleru Poondi canal, to divert Krishna water to the new reservoir.
To create the canal with a capacity to carry 1,000 cubic feet per second, nearly 200 acres need to be acquired. Of this, nearly 55 acres belongs to the forest department and the WRD is in the process of seeking permission to use their land.
Besides serving the city’s drinking water needs, the new reservoir will also help recharge groundwater in several villages, including Karadiputhur, Poovalambedu and Periapuliyur.
