Cooum River restoration project announced

The Water Resources Department is preparing a detailed project report within four months to restore the Cooum River from Napier Bridge to Maduravoyal. Minister N. Anand recently inspected the river and inaugurated a clean-up drive in the Koyambedu area to improve water flow. The proposed restoration plan includes removing encroachments, clearing banks, and addressing sewage issues along the river stretch. Officials are currently working on estimates for the entire river length. As part of the initiative, the Greater Chennai Corporation is identifying new drainage routes for the Koyambedu market to prevent flooding in the area. The river, which originates in Tiruvallur district, flows for approximately 72 kilometers before reaching the Bay of Bengal. Over the past two decades, more than 1,000 crore rupees have been spent on various restoration efforts for the Cooum. Previous administrations have previously removed over 10,000 encroachments, including nearly 2,000 houses from the Sathyavani Muthu Nagar area, though some structures remain.