To control flooding in Chennai, GCC to create new canals
Posted on: 12/Dec/2020 9:15:22 AM
Rains in Chennai have often resulted in water flooding the roads, houses etc and this has created huge issues for the people. Pallikaranai marshland and its nearby places in south Chennai are flood prone and now GCC has been taking efforts to prevent floods in this locality.
It is said that GCC would be creating 3 new canals perpendicular to the Buckingham canal for the purpose of draining excess rain water entering this place. Outside the limits of GCC, the PWD would be creating 2 more canals too.
It was later mentioned by Mr. G. Prakash, Chennai corporation commissioner that one canal would connect Pallikaranai to Buckingham canal through Radial Road. The second canal would connect Perumbakkam to Buckingham canal through K.K. Road. Nookampalayam and Buckingham canal would be connected by a third canal through Semmencheri. Canals would also be constructed by PWD at Thalambur and Navalur connecting Buckingham canal.
The opening of Chembarambakkam Lake during heavy rains recently has resulted in water entering many houses in Perumbakkam and Semmencheri. Truth is that even after the rains have stopped the people in these 2 places suffered a lot. It is important to note that the geography of Pallikaranai is like a bowl that receives rain water from north as well as from south.
The Pallikaranai marshland gets water from northern and southern suburbs and due to this there is always heavy flood in places like Velachery, Perumbakkam, Perungudi and Semmenchery etc. Around 1.5 tmc of water entered this region recently due to the heavy rains.
Mr. Prakash threw light on how 5 perpendicular canals would drain excess rain water into the sea without causing floods.
Design of canals and cost:
The Chennai corporation commissioner then spoke about how the engineers belonging to the civic body have started a process to design the 5 canals. Point is that the construction of 5 canals would cost the government an amount between Rs 300 crores to Rs 400 crores. The total length of the canals would be 24km.
As many as 21 critical flooding places in the monsoon rains have been identified by GCC. Designs have been prepared by the engineers to mitigate the flooding in areas like Villivakkam, K.K. Nagar etc. It must be taken into note that flat terrain or those under the sea level were the most affected areas during the rains and 95percent areas were not affected. Technical intervention is required in those places because usual methods like pumping water would not be effective.
