Velachery residents oppose eco park project along six-vent culvert

Chennai: Velachery residents have urged Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to drop its proposed eco park project along the six-vent culvert waterway, alleging that it would further obstruct the natural flow of water and worsen monsoon flooding in the locality. All rainwater from nearly a 10km radius, comprising areas such as Velachery, Taramani, and Dhandeeswaram and adjoining areas, converges into the narrow eight-foot canal and single culvert, causing severe inundation during monsoon every year, they said.

In Feb 2024, the associations submitted petitions signed by more than 3,000 residents to the Chennai district collector and GCC, seeking removal of encroachments and widening of the existing drain into a 30ft macro canal. As no action was taken, they moved Madras high court, which directed authorities in June 2024 to inspect the site and submit a report within three months.

“Despite the court direction, no substantial flood mitigation work has been undertaken so far. Instead, GCC is moving ahead with plans for an eco-park and landscaping work inside the waterway area. We urged the civic body to prioritise desilting of the macro canal under Taramani Link Road, remove encroachments, and construct an additional culvert before onset of the northeast monsoon. There has been no response from the authorities,” said M Balakrishnan, secretary of Tansi Nagar Residents Welfare Association.

Residents said a pond-like embankment created inside the marshland further restricts the free flow of rainwater into the Pallikaranai marsh, resulting in water stagnation for several days after every rain spell during the monsoon. During intense rainfall, excess rainwater inundates residential areas, they said.

“The proposed eco park would completely obstruct the free flow of water and worsen flood risk in the locality. If the plan is not scrapped, we will resort to a demonstration,” said P Shanmugam, president of the residents’ welfare association.

When contacted, Adyar zone chairman R Durai Raj said, “After the assembly election, there are no officials available to check the status of projects in the zone. The authorities may reconsider it, but it could take a few weeks to know the status of the project.”