Flood control in Chennai: Thanikachalam canal expanded

Chennai: Madhavaram and Kolathur often experience hip-deep flooding due to Thanikachalam canal's limited width and flow capacity of 400 cusecs (cubic feet per second). However, the water resources department (WRD) is expanding the 3.05 km-long canal for 91.36 crore to increase its flow capacity to 1,000 cusecs. Currently, 75% of the work has been completed.

Officials said that the benefits are already visible. In the first two spells of this northeast monsoon, Thanikachalam Nagar 80ft Road and Kumaran Nagar in Kolathur, which typically flood for 2-3 days, drained within six hours due to the expanded canal, said a WRD official. On Dec 4, 2023, Madhavaram recorded 16 cm of rain, while on Oct 15 this year, it received 17 cm.

"Most of the new stormwater drains also empty into the Thanikachalam Canal, contributing to higher flood discharge," said the WRD official. Other areas with reduced inundation include Chandra Prabhu Colony 2nd Main Road and Srinivasa Nagar 1st Main Road.

From Retteri Junction, the 4 m-wide Thanikachalam Canal has been expanded to 5 m along a 780m length stretch. By March 2025, the remaining 1 km of the canal will be widened.

After the 1.8 km stretch, the canal is being widened to 6 m, further expanded to 10 m by adding a 4 m cut-and-cover channel over a 1.2 km length before joining the 13 m-wide Kodungaiyur Canal at Moolakadai Junction. The Kodungaiyur canal carries water for 3-4 km before draining into the North Buckingham Canal.

The Thanikachalam Canal expansion project began in August 2023 after chief minister M K Stalin laid its foundation stone


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