Plantation along Cooum and Adyar river to completed by March: GCC

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) stated that plant saplings along the Cooum and Adyar river will be completed by March. The civic body authorities have planted at least 60,000 saplings in several stretches near the river bund, the fund assisted by Chennai Rivers Rehabilitation Trust (CRRT).

Various works are being carried out on the banks of Cooum and Adyar rivers. The GCC along with Water Resources Department (WRD) and Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) evicted illegal encroachments on the river banks.

At present, plant saplings are being carried out in Royapuram zone (zone 5), from Napier Bridge to Quaid-E-Millath bridge. They have planned to plant 14,300 saplings of which 4,300 native trees saplings such as neem, Ashoka, Guava, and banyan trees are planted.

Similarly, 5,500 saplings have been planted from Quaid-E-Millath Bridge to Law’s Bridge in zone 5. The Corporation covers 2.12 kilometers along the stretch, and an estimated amount of Rs 1.73 crore for the project. The officials mentioned that the work by GCC will be completed by March, an official release stated.

Recently, a pathway has been constructed from Thiru Vi Ka Nagar bridge to the MRTS bridge near the Adyar river bank at an estimated cost of Rs 5.4 crore, and at least 60,000 saplings are planted.

Also, 13,456 saplings were planted from the Meenambakkam bridge near the airport runway to Nandambakkam bridge on the Adyar river in Alandur zone. A total cost of Rs 1.17 crore was allocated for the same.

In addition, the local body authorities said that the WRD has yet to allocate space for plant saplings near the river bank. As they are yet to remove illegal encroachments, including commercial establishments.