For the first time in two decades, a major portion of the Kandaleru-Poondi canal, carrying Krishna water to the city reservoir, is likely to be repaired.
The canal runs for a distance of 25 km from Oothukottai, the entry point in Tamil Nadu to the Poondi reservoir, from where Krishna water received from Andhra Pradesh is stored and distributed.
The Water Resources Department has submitted a proposal to the State government to repair the damaged portion between 3.8 km and 10 km points of the canal.
The stretch runs along Ambedkar Nagar, Chitrapakkam, Pondhavakkam, Sriramakuppam, Kalavai and Alapakkam in Uthukottai taluk of Tiruvallur district.
The project is crucial as it helps to optimise transmission of Krishna water and storage in the reservoirs, officials of the WRD said. Though some minor works have been carried out, this would be the first time in the last two decades that the canal would undergo major improvement.
“We plan to repair the canal lining to improve the discharge capacity and reduce seepage in the stretch. A retaining wall would be built to prevent mud slide and silting of the canal bed,” an official said. The canal bed would be desilted after years.
₹27-crore project
The project, estimated to cost ₹27 crore, would also help in increasing the carrying capacity of the canal by at least 25%. At present, the canal can carry up to 1,000 cusecs. “We often have to deal with seepage loss of up to 10% because of the damage along the canal. Once the project is completed, the seepage loss would be minimised to less than 5%,” said an official.
The department plans to seek funds under the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. The work would be finished in a year and there may not be much need to take up major work in the canal for the next two decades. The WRD had earlier completed works to the tune of ₹19 crore on the stretch between 10 km and 25 km points of the canal. The canal received Krishna water on March 26 this year. The Poondi reservoir received about 2,000 million cubic feet of water between January and March. “We are monitoring the storage level in Andhra Pradesh reservoirs, which is still in a dismal position. Chennai is due to get Krishna water for the next spell from July,” the official added.
