In the next two years, some areas along the Rajiv Gandhi Salai and East Coast Road are likely to have piped water supply network.
Semmenchery and Neelankarai will be among the areas to be provided with water supply infrastructure by the end of 2025. While projects to provide comprehensive drinking water network for Rajiv Gandhi Salai and East Coast Road (ECR) are in various stages of implementation, work is in progress to shift and realign existing large pipelines at Kottivakkam to facilitate Chennai Metro Rail work.
Officials of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) said that Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. was shifting the pipeline.
Kottivakkam gets four million litres of drinking water a day on alternate days.
A long-pending demand
The ₹66.67-crore water supply scheme for Neelankarai, a long-pending demand, is estimated to benefit 34,100 residents. Initially, 5.3 mld of water supply is planned when the project covers the entire area in June 2026. The water pipeline network is already in place in parts of Neelankarai.
Srilakshmi Mohan Rao, vice-president of the Kazura Garden Residents Welfare Association, said these pipelines were laid a few years ago. The water board is now accepting applications for connections. But not many residents are aware of this. Information must be shared with residents’ welfare associations or through camps on availability of infrastructure and provision of connections.
Semmencheri will be covered with comprehensive water supply network by December 2025 at a cost of ₹46 crore. Nearly 51,000 residents will be supplied with 7.9 mld of water. While 1,300 households in Uthandi along the ECR are getting water supply, the network is ready for extending the facility to the remaining households, the sources said. The desalination plant in Nemmeli will be the main source of water supply for these areas.
Large pipeline soon
Similarly, work is apace to complete project for Okkiam Thoraipakkam and existing pipelines laid under IT corridor project are being used for the work.
The water board plans to complete the IT Corridor project with an estimated water demand of 32 mld by June 2025. A detailed project report is being prepared to lay a large water pipeline of 500 mm diameter along the IT corridor, the sources added.
