Resettlement of residents along the Cooum resumes

143 families evicted from the banks of the Cooum in Arumbakkam

The Greater Chennai Corporation, the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board and the Water Resources Department have resumed eviction of residents along the Cooum. These residents would be resettled in other parts of the city.

Resettlement of 143 project-affected families in Radhakrishnan Nagar in Arumbakkam was completed on Sunday. As many as 439 affected families will be resettled in the area shortly. Once the resettlement is completed in all the 60 habitations along the river, eco-restoration work is likely to begin.

Planting of saplings had been taken up near the mouth of the river near Swami Sivananda Salai and near Island Grounds. Work on development of fence along the river is expected to gain momentum after the resettlement of all habitations.

Of the 60 habitations identified along the river, families in 51 were resettled in the past few years. Families from two habitations were expected to be resettled shortly.

But the residents of seven habitations along the river have protested and the matter is sub judice.

Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said work on the 8.45 km of the embankment along the Cooum had been completed. “Work on construction of the wall along 7 km of the Cooum banks is in progress. Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) has taken initiatives to prevent sewage inflow,” he said.