
Chennai: Residents in and around Madipakkam are facing acute water shortage in the neighbourhood and now, Greater Chennai Corporation has come up with plans and implemented the same in a fancy way.
GCC has been deepening and desilting the public wells in the areas Ayyappa Nagar and Puzhuthivakkam. Also, they are constructing fancy structures on top of the wells, thereby giving a makeover to them.
Ravivarman, Assistant Executive Engineer, GCC, said, “The main purpose of the project is to collect all the rain water and harvest in the well, with the help of pipes that connect various Storm Water Drains that come from the Ayyappa Nagar and surrounding localities. This well is around 30 feet deep and we can store sufficient amount of water.”
“The well that was recently deepened and desilted in Ayyappa Nagar near the Sannadhi Street has been given the design of Akshaya Paathiram, meaning, that this well will always have water in it. These designs are painted by painters who paint idols and walls in temple. We have used high quality materials to construct and paint these structures.”
According to official sources, two such wells are being constructed in Puzhuthivakkam and Perungudi. The well near Gangai Amman Temple in Puzhuthivakkam will be given a shape of watermelon and the one in Perungudi, near the toll gate, will be given the shape of pineapple.
S Krishna, a resident of the same locality said, “I have never seen such creative initiative taken by the government. It looks very neat and attractive. We are happy and thankful for helping us save water.”
Ravivarman added, “We are constructing these fancy structures, so that people will not paste posters or damage them. All we expect from them is to start harvesting rain water and conserve the available resources.”

