The Kosasthalaiyar river can play a key role in preventing waterlogging in north Chennai.
Even as the northeast monsoon has set in, the Water Resources Department awaits permission for soil excavation so as to take up the project of strengthening the bund of the river near Manali New Town.
Ennore Creek is a confluence point for various waterways — Red Hills surplus course, Kosasthalaiyar river and Buckingham canal. However, the Red Hills surplus course does not have a defined path for nearly 4 km downstream of Andarkuppam, Manali New Town.
Officials of the WRD said the river alone has the capacity to carry nearly 1.36 lakh cusecs of floodwater, including that released from Poondi reservoir.
Besides north Buckingham canal, the Red Hills surplus course carries about 25,000 cusecs.
As the area near Ennore creek is not wide enough to carry the entire volume of about 2 lakh cusecs, flood water often stagnates and even spills over to neighbouring areas in the absence of a proper bund for the surplus course and Kosasthalaiyar river, said residents of Idayanchavadi.
M. Dakshinamoorthy, resident of Manali New Town, said: “We live about 500 metres away from the river. Water entered into our homes during the 2015 floods as there was no proper bund. The authorities concerned have raised the bund near Manali New Town. We expect the waterlogging to be less this time. But, the bund needs to be formed for some more distance. The streets lack stormwater drains and this too adds to the flooding.”
Officials of the WRD said of the total distance of 3.5 km between Sadayankuppam and Ennore Creek, the bund has been raised and strengthened for 2 km.
“If we get permission from the Revenue department to excavate soil, the bund can be further raised near Manali New Town. Banks would also be formed for the Red Hills surplus course,” an official said.
Sources in the department suggested that nearly 300 acres of land located between the two arms of Kosasthalaiyar river could be acquired to enable widening of the waterway near the Ennore creek.
