Creation of additional space in 4 tanks delayed as PWD awaits GO

In 2016, the government had announced that additional water storage facility will be created in four tanks, including Cholavaram Tank, Porur Tank, Nemam Tank and Ayanambakkam Tank along with the restoration works of Chembarambakkam Tank in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. The project was to be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 130 crore.

Two years have gone by and the project is yet to take shape. The Public Works Department (PWD) blamed the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department for failing to give a green signal for the project.

With a massive failure of the northwest monsoon, residents of Chennai will have to face acute water shortage this summer. Meanwhile, the government decided to take up the project in the backdrop of burgeoning demand for water in the city.

The project intended to increase the storage capacity of about 400 million cubic feet in these tanks and this would cater to the drinking water needs for at least two weeks. The supply planned for the city was close to 800 million liters per day.

Under this project, the PWD decided to deepen the tanks by at least one meter. Further, the storage capacity of Porur tank, which is spread across 200 acres, was planned to be increased from 46 mcft to 70 mcft.

The strengthening of bund, repair of surplus weir and plugging of drainage inlets was to be fixed as a part of the project. In Aynambakkam tank, the weir and regulators were to be reconstructed. Similarly, the surplus course at a length of 1.6 km was to be constructed from the Nemam tank to Chembarambakkam reservoir, to divert drinking water supply.

Construction of feeder canal to Nemam tank was in the to-do-list to transmit Krishna water from Poondi reservoir. A top official attached to the PWD said, “The project is getting delayed as we are yet to receive a Government Order (GO). We are expecting the GO positivelythis year.”