Resettlement of slums on the seven-km-long central Buckingham Canal between Cooum and Adyar has emerged as a stumbling block to flood-preparedness.
At the third meeting of the flood relief committee on Tuesday, officials pointed to the encroachments made by as many as 5,000 households on the canal and the need for resettlement of the families to reduce flooding in many neighbourhoods.
The JNNURM-funded project to reduce flooding in the city will be completed only after resettlement of the families.
The Corporation has identified 3,000 encroachments along micro-drains such as Mambalam Canal and Captain Cotton Canal. Other drains screened include Vyasarpadi, Kodungaiyur, Jawahar, MGR, Egankipuram, Jafferkhanpet, Guindy Estate, Chellamal, Nungambakkam, Trustpuram, Raj Bhavan, Reddikuppam and TVS canals. Over 2,600 encroachments have been identified along Mambalam Canal.
The resettlement project will be undertaken by Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) in a few months. TNSCB will rehabilitate 12,000 such families in Okkiyam-Thoraipakkam and Perumbakkam.
Desilting of drains and canals will be completed by the Corporation and the Water Resources Department before the onset of the northeast monsoon. A list of areas prone to inundation has been prepared. In case of an emergency, residents have been requested to call Corporation helpline 1913 or Tangedco toll-free number 155333 and district collectorate toll-free number 1077.
