Restoration of Chitlapakkam Lake has been going on and now just 20% of the work is only pending.
In this scenario, WRD is waiting for the funds to be provided by the government for further restoration etc. It was later confirmed by an officer that the remaining work would get over in another 3 months. From the nearby water body, WRD has started to evict the encroachers and nearly 400 house encroachments have been identified.
According to a senior official from WRD it was clear that the majority of the restoration works were completed and just 20 percent were there. He threw light on allied works like gardening, sewage treatment plants etc that had to be tendered. Truth is that the TN government has not provided funds for the restoration of this lake till now. It is learnt that the estimated cost of the works would be Rs 17 crores. In 3 months, the restoration works will be completed. Various activities that were carried out by WRD are water body de-silt, bund strengthening etc.
It was mentioned by another officer belonging to WRD that more than 400 houses have been identified near the lake and atleast 53 encroachments have been evicted from those. It must be taken into account that these 53 houses have occupied atleast 2.7acres of space and it has been cleared now. Now, the eviction is going slow due to the local body elections. It is known that the WRD has cleared government buildings that were built at the border of the water body.