Anyone travelling on the Chennai Central–Avadi suburban rail route cannot miss this lake at the Thirumullavoyal railway station. From the train, it’s difficult to trace the boundary of the vast lake, which has water round the year.
In fact, no other water body between Chennai Central and Arakkonam, a distance of around 80 kms, has such a big lake.
Residents now want the government to convert the lake into a tourist destination with modern facilities including footpath along the bunds, seating arrangements, water towers to view migratory birds and a boating service. “The lake’s boundaries lie in Ambattur, Ayapakkam and Thirumullavoyal. It is major source for reacharge of groundwater table.
Proper maintenance including periodic de-silting and prevention of sewage from flowing into it would ensure the water body did turn into a big cesspool,” said T. Gunaseelan, a long-time resident of Ambattur.
Measuring over 100 acres, the lake has different names. In Ambattur, it is called Ambattur lake. A few hundred metres away from Ambattur, the locals call it Ayapakkam lake and further away, it is called Thirumullavoyal lake.
It not only re-charges the water table but also serves as a drinking water source for thousands of residents for many decades now.
For example, nearly 20 borewells have been dug by the Ayapakkam panchayat around the bund of the lake to supply water to more than 70,000 residents.
“The idea to convert the lake into a tourist destination will protect the water body from sewage inflows and encroachments,” said S. Vimala, a resident in Thirumullavoyal.
At present, the lake, which is maintained by the Water Resources Department (WRD) of the Public Works Department, has encroachments along its bunds. The stormwater drain outlets that connect the lake with the neighbourhood have been misused to discharge sewage water into the lake.
As the areas of the extended Chennai Corporation including Ambattur and Ayapakkam do not have an underground drainage system, the lake has been converted into an open drainage pit.
“At present, the open channels around the lake are being cleared of slush to ensure excess rainwater flows freely into the water body once the northeast monsoon sets in. Other developmental works will be carried out soon,” said a Corporation official.
