Rs 1,934 crore for Cooum River Eco-Restoration Plan restoration

Chennai: The 72-km Cooum river, which has borne the brunt of the city’s population explosion and turned into a sewer, has got yet another shot at a clean-up. As part of the ambitious Restoration of Chennai Waterways Project that seeks to invest Rs 10,000 crore in a phased manner, the state government has initiated Cooum river restoration works.

Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has already kick-started the first phase of Cooum restoration with an estimated cost Rs 604.77 crore.

According to integrated Cooum River Eco-Restoration Plan, which is now being implemented, the government plans to pump in Rs 1,934.88 crore in the next eight years to put life back into Cooum by adopting a sustainable approach.

The document, a copy of which is available with the DC, says the plan approved includes 60 sub-projects in short term, seven in medium term and two in the long term. The government envisages revamping the entire riverfront to maintain connectivity and enriching the river’s natural charm.

The proposals consist of more than 9.6 km of maintenance ways, 24 km of walkways, 19 km of cycle tracks and more than 6,63,788 sq.mt in 24 parks with recreational spaces, children playgrounds and food courts.

However, the biggest challenge would be the rehabilitation of people living along the river bed. The Tamil Nadu slum clearance board (TNSCB) has identified 58 slums that are likely to be affected by the restoration project. Of these, 49 are within Chennai and nine outside the city.

A source said though the TNSCB has already constructed over 15,000 houses for rehabilitation, people are resisting to move in. The authorities, on priority, are taking steps to plug sewage outfalls. The plan document says 118 outfalls have been located. The areas within corporation limits that are not covered by under ground sewage system (UGSS) are ‘problematic’. However, work to bring all areas in the city limits under UGSS has started at Ambattur, Maduravoyal, Porur and Ramapuram. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been approved for other areas. Plans are afoot to bring the surrounding municipalities under the UGSS, said another government source.