₹41-crore drain work to be implemented for preventing floods in Chennai’s western parts

The stormwater drain network from Otteri Nullah Zero Point to the Cooum river will be built along Jawaharlal Nehru Salai. | Photo Credit: Representative image The Greater Chennai Corporation is expected to start work on the stormwater drain network connecting Otteri Nullah Zero Point to the Cooum river along Jawaharlal Nehru Salai to mitigate flooding in the western parts of the city. The project was announced in the Tamil Nadu Budget session for the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department on Monday (August 24, 2026).The drain will be constructed at an estimated cost of ₹41 crore with assistance from a German bank.The drain construction work is expected to prevent flood-related issues in Villivakkam, Ambattur, Korattur, Padi, and Anna Nagar West areas during monsoon.Several urban infrastructure and sanitation projects in Chennai and its adjoining urban local bodies were announced under the Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Development Mission (CMIUDM), along with other municipal initiatives.The 31-MLD sewage treatment plant at Tiruvottiyur will be upgraded at a cost of ₹42 crore using Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) technology. The project will also include 10 years of operation and maintenance.GCC playgroundsWork on development of play grounds in GCC will be taken up at a cost of ₹10 crore under CMIUDM funds.The State has also allocated ₹102 crore for 100% mechanisation of underground drainage maintenance across municipal corporations and municipalities. A further ₹93 crore has been earmarked for biomining of legacy waste in Avadi and Tambaram corporations, besides Coimbatore Corporation and 25 municipalities.Sewage infrastructure in Pallavaram, Chromepet, and Thiruneermalai will be taken up at a combined cost of ₹254 crore.This includes ₹104 crore for rehabilitation of the underground drainage system in Pallavaram and Chromepet, and ₹150 crore for a new sewerage scheme in Thiruneermalai. The State will also explore commercialising biogas generated from sewage sludge at 22 sewage treatment plants in the city by upgrading it into Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative. The move is aimed at promoting the use of treated biogas as a transportation fuel while supporting resource recovery from sewage waste.Bio-miningLand reclamation through bio-mining in Perungudi and Kodungaiyur will also begin soon, according to the announcements.Drone surveys have identified an additional 28.70 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste at the Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dumpyards within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits.This waste will be scientifically cleared using ‘bio-mining’ technology for ₹276 crore; this process will reclaim land and improve public health and the quality of life. Published - August 25, 2026 05:00 am IST