WRD to Build ₹25-Crore Flood Protection Wall Along Adyar Near Jaffarkhanpet

The Water Resources Department (WRD) will construct flood protection walls across the Adyar near Jaffarkhanpet at a cost of ₹25 crore as part of disaster management measures, Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources N. Anand announced in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday.

The project along the Adyar is among 49 works worth ₹218.29 crore planned across 19 districts to strengthen flood defence and disaster management infrastructure.

Replying to the discussion on the Demands for Grants for the WRD, Mr. Anand detailed several initiatives aimed at water conservation, flood mitigation, and infrastructure restoration across the State.

As part of statewide floodwater conservation and groundwater harness efforts, the WRD will construct 27 check dams across 13 districts at a total cost of ₹206.75 crore. Mr. Anand noted that one such check dam would be built across the Amaravati river near Melapalayam village in Karur district.

Additionally, two bed dams will be constructed in districts including Madurai at an outlay of ₹31.50 crore to arrest riverbed erosion and facilitate groundwater recharge.

To improve groundwater levels, the department has planned the installation of 1,628 artificial groundwater recharge structures across 35 districts with an allocation of ₹28.9 crore.

The WRD will also carry out 96 works to repair, renovate, and restore waterbodies and irrigation channels across 30 districts, including Tiruchi, at an estimated cost of ₹695.42 crore.

Other key measures announced by the Minister include the restoration of dam infrastructure across 11 districts, including Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Ramanathapuram, at a cost of ₹246.93 crore, as well as repairs to seawalls in north Chennai. The department will also prepare an impact assessment report to evaluate the functioning of existing schemes.

Addressing water management, Mr. Anand stated that a decision on releasing water from the Mettur dam for delta irrigation would be taken soon, noting that officials are monitoring storage levels. He also invited Members of the Legislative Assembly to participate in monthly meetings alongside WRD officials to discuss constituency-level concerns and find immediate solutions.