Chief Minister MK Stalin assured that the flood woes of Chennai will be permanently resolved after the remaining 30 percent of the Thiruppugazh committee recommendations are implemented. Speaking to the media after inspecting ongoing flood mitigation projects in Guindy, Velachery, and Narayanapuram Lake, Stalin highlighted the continuous efforts of his government in addressing the city’s flood issues.
The Advisory Committee for Mitigation and Management of Flood Risk, led by retired IAS officer V. Thiruppugazh, was constituted in 2021 soon after the DMK government came to power. “We have been preparing for the monsoon for three months. The flood mitigation works are being executed gradually and are near completion. Another 25-30 percent of the work is pending and will be completed soon, offering a permanent solution to the flooding problems of Chennai and nearby districts,” Stalin said.
During his inspection, the Chief Minister reviewed several projects, including the deepening and widening of three existing reservoirs and the creation of four new lakes with a storage capacity of 4.24 million cubic feet in land retrieved from the Madras Race Club (MRC). These lakes are designed to prevent floodwaters from entering key roads and areas like Maduvankarai and Velachery Main Road while also storing rainwater and preventing waterlogging. Additionally, the project will help ease traffic and recharge the groundwater table.
Stalin directed officials to expedite desilting works in the Veerangal canal, which drains into Buckingham Canal, and to strengthen the Narayanapuram lake bund. He also instructed the removal of water hyacinth from the surplus canal bridge of Keelkattalai lake.