WRD Fast-Tracks ₹130-Crore Ambattur Lake Flood Diversion Channel to Cooum

The Water Resources Department has expedited construction of a ₹130-crore channel designed to divert floodwater from Ambattur lake to the Cooum river in Ambattur ahead of the Northeast monsoon.

The project aims to address the inadequate capacity of existing drainage infrastructure that routes floodwater from Ambattur lake towards Korattur lake. Every year, several neighbourhoods and the Ambattur Industrial Estate face severe inundation whenever the lake reaches full capacity.

According to WRD officials, about 40% of the work on the 5.1-km channel, starting from the surplus channel on Cookson Road, has been finished. While the Ambattur surplus course can carry up to 1,800 cusecs of floodwater, an insufficient number of culverts along the Pattaravakkam railway line previously restricted discharge to the northern side of Korattur lake, leading to water afflux and local flooding.

The new diversion channel runs along the Chennai Bypass Road service lane and will drain into the Cooum river near Maduravoyal, reducing the burden on the existing surplus course. A 100-metre section near the Cooum, designed for a carrying capacity of 350 cusecs, has already been completed.

The ₹130-crore project had earlier faced delays due to sporadic rainfall and pending clearances from the National Highways Authority of India. Officials noted that building an 80-metre stretch along the busy CTH Road remains a key challenge, and prefabricated structures are being considered to accelerate progress.

Local residents have urged authorities to balance flood mitigation with water conservation. T. Gunaseelan, a resident of Ambattur, emphasised that the government must develop systems to harvest surplus water and recharge groundwater levels. S.P. Nedumaran, coordinator of the Ambattur Water Bodies Protection Movement, added that open channels should be explored to ensure Korattur lake receives sufficient inflow and does not run dry.