WRD begins work to construct regulators at Korattur lake

CHENNAI Areas around Korattur lake that are under sheets of water every monsoon may get respite as W

Areas around Korattur lake that are under sheets of water every monsoon may get respite as Water Resources Department (WRD) has started work on some of the short-term restoration plans in the waterbody.

The nearly ₹2.82 crore work is in progress to construct three regulators in the inlets near DTP Colony, Ondiveeran Koil and North Avenue. This is one of the plans to regulate the water flow into the lake and also reduce waterlogging in the areas around the lake, including DTP Colony, TNHB Colony in Korattur and those along Pattaravakkam canal.

Officials of the WRD said work had also been started simultaneously for fencing over the retaining wall in Ambattur surplus channel. The project to provide fencing arrangement for nearly 3 km would help curtail dumping of solid waste in the canal.

These works have been some of the long-pending demands of the residents and Korattur Aeri Padukappu Makkal Iyakkam, a citizen’s movement engaged in lake restoration.

A government order is awaited to implement long-term restoration plans of the lake at a cost of nearly ₹24 crore, said an official. This would include desilting of the lake and also Ambattur surplus channel.

Korattur lake, which is one of the major waterbodies in the city, is spread over 600 acre and has a catchment area of 5.380 sq.km. The department would also take up work to desilt, increase storage capacity and form islands in the lake.

Residents demanded that the height of the weirs, which allows surplus water to flow out, be increased as part of the flood mitigation measures. They also recalled that though the survey of the lake area was done two years ago, encroachments were yet to be removed.