ADB-Funded Storm Water Drain Project on Korattur East Avenue Road Faces Delays

Work on the Asian Development Bank-funded storm water drain project on East Avenue Road in Korattur has remained sluggish over the past month, causing significant disruption for motorists and commuters navigating damaged road stretches and persistent traffic snarls.

The project on this specific corridor, valued at ₹39 crore, was launched in March this year. It involves cut-and-cover drain construction along the centre median to facilitate surplus water discharge. However, civic work along the median has dragged on for months with little recent progress. While approximately 80% of the stretch has been finished, the section near the Chennai-Tiruvallur High (CTH) Road junction remains incomplete.

The East Avenue Road drain is designed to run for roughly 200 metres along the thoroughfare to connect to the Otteri Nullah. Once operational, the channel is meant to carry surplus water from Ambattur and drain it into the Otteri Nullah’s zero point situated near the Villivakkam Lake via the Chennai-Tiruvallur highway.

The ₹39-crore stretch forms part of a wider ₹3,220-crore stormwater drain network initiative funded by the Asian Development Bank. Originally launched under the AIADMK administration in 2021, the comprehensive project was subsequently continued by the DMK government.

The broader scheme aims to construct 769 kilometres of drains across the northern and western zones of Chennai, including Thiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, and Ambattur. The network is planned to channel excess runoff into the Kosasthalaiyar River basin to alleviate urban flooding.

Over the past five years, drain works under the larger initiative have been executed in piecemeal fashion across several parts of the city. In Korattur, the prolonged pause in finalising the remaining portion near the CTH Road junction continues to leave road users contending with narrowed pathways and deteriorated road surfaces.