Check dam damaged, reconstruction work begins near Villupuram

Built at a cost of ₹25 crore, the check dam was inaugurated by Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam in September last year

The Public Works Department (PWD) has begun work on restoring the portion of the newly constructed check dam between Enathimangalam and Thalavanur that breached on Saturday resulting in heavy flow of water into the irrigation channels.

Built at a cost of ₹25 crore, the check dam was inaugurated by Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam in September last year.

The check dam is 650 metres long and three metres in height and is sandwiched between Cuddalore and Villupuram districts. It has six vents — three each in Enathimangalam on the Cuddalore side and three at Thalavanur on the Villupuram side.

Located about 10 km from Villupuram, it had been designed to trap flood waters and help recharge ground water.

PWD sources said that the check dam had reached its storage capacity in the wake of the recent incessant rains.

However, cracks developed beneath the structure due to erosion on Saturday, resulting in heavy flow of water into the irrigation channels.

“We have plugged the breach using sand bags. Work to restore the damaged portion has begun and it will be competed in a time-bound manner,” an official said.