After getting CRZ clearance for the Adyar river eco-restoration project a month ago, the Water Resources Department has started work on desilting a portion of the Adyar river from the Maraimalai Nagar Bridge to the estuary.
On Saturday, Commissioner of Revenue Administration J. Radhakrishnan reviewed eco-restoration works taken up in the Adyar and Cooum rivers.
WRD has taken up the ₹94.76-crore project on the 25-km stretch between the Tiruneermalai Bridge and the Adyar estuary. While improvement works on the portion till the Maraimalai Nagar Bridge was being done since June, the Department recently started the desilting exercise on the stretch till the Adyar estuary.
Besides removing silt from the waterway, the Department will also be widening the river to its original width and building retaining walls on both sides of the river banks to prevent inundation in neighbouring areas.
Concrete retaining walls for a distance of 1,800 m has been proposed to be constructed in vulnerable areas. So far, nearly 800 m of retaining wall has been built.
Of the 11,400 encroachments identified along the Adyar river, nearly 4,515 encroached structures have been removed so far, said Mr. Radhakrishnan, in an official release.
WRD is also executing the Cooum river eco-restoration project at a cost of ₹93.57 crore through the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust.
Nearly 80% of the work has been completed so far. Similar works , are being taken up, including forming of a baby canal, are being taken up at the Cooum river. Of the 16,598 encroachments identified, 11,890 structures have been removed so far, he said.
Officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation and WRD were present during his review.
