The ambitious proposals to restore the Kolathur tank and build a new channel to carry surplus water from the Retteri lake have been pending for many years due to challenges in funding and land acquisition.
The proposals assumed significance as they could alleviate flooding in many areas around Kolathur and Retteri. The Water Resources Department (WRD) had chalked out a project to build a new channel from one of the weirs of the Retteri lake and link it to the Red Hills reservoir’s surplus course near Vadaperumbakkam.
As there was no defined course, excess water from the lake spilled over to the surrounding areas, such as Balaji Nagar, Arignar Anna Nagar and Macro Marvel Nagar. The WRD planned to construct the 80-m wide channel to carry up to 3,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water.
Nearly 30 acres of land needed to be acquired to implement the project. A major share of the project cost would go towards land acquisition, and finding a funding agency was a challenge, according to sources.
Sources in the WRD said various schemes to bridge the missing links between the Retteri and Red Hills surplus course remained a non-starter for over two decades because of issues in land acquisition and compensation.
Similarly, restoration of the long-neglected Kolathur lake had also hit a snag. The lake had shrunken over the decades due to urbanisation and has been heavily encroached upon. It does not have proper inlets, and this has led to flooding in the surrounding localities, including Baba Nagar.
According to WRD records, the lake, originally spread over nearly 175 acres, has shrunk to just 15 acres. Though efforts are on to demarcate the lake boundary, work is yet to be completed. WRD sources noted that while the project aimed to restore the existing extent of the lake, around 100 acre of the waterbody could be reclaimed with a resettlement plan. However, encroachment removal and funding were major obstacles.
Residents said the lake originally comprised areas on either side of the Inner Ring Road. P. Boopal, general secretary, Federation of 200 Feet Road Residents’ Welfare Associations, said floodwater from areas upstream like Vivekananda Nagar and the Korattur lake reached the Kolathur lake. But the missing links in the course carrying floodwater to the lake led to waterlogging. The lake also faced issues of sewage pollution and waste disposal from a nearby fish market.
Sources in the WRD said as there was no proper surplus course for the lake, excess water now joined the narrow Thanikachalam Nagar drain in Madhavaram. The surplus water originally drained into the Kodungaiyur drain. If the Kolathur lake and its courses are rejuvenated, the burden on Thanikachalam drain would reduce and help in reducing inundation.
