Kadapakkam lake in Chennai next eco retreat

Greater Chennai Corporation plans to create an eco hotspot in North Chennai by restoring Manali`s Kadapakkam lake which sprawls over 132 acres in the Kosasthalaiyaru river basin.  

The pristine water body, unsullied by encroachments, will be turned into a weekend picnic destination with attractions like boating, camping, a forest trail, a bird island using a Miyawaki forest method, a cycle track, and a children`s park.

Targeted like a sustainable lake-front project, it is likely to get a 40 crore grant from the Asian Development Bank.

Earlier this month, the corporation`s engineers conducted a drone survey of the area, and the process of identifying a consultant to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) has begun.

Corporation commissioner G Prakash and other top officials of the civic body, as well as the ADB, visited the spot. "There are many such rejuvenated water bodies in South Chennai and an eco-park is coming up at Villivakkam. This will be the major attraction in North Chennai," said L Nandakumar, chief engineer (general). There is a temple in the vicinity and the restoration will take that into account, he added.

Mark Selvaraj, the consultant for the corporation, said the lake is near an industrial area that doesn`t have a breathing space or public leisure spots. "Though the lake is untouched, we want to ensure there are no encroachments in the future. We want to rejuvenate it and bring in community involvement to protect it," he said.

Among the initiatives that have been planned include a two-pond system at the entrance. The pollutants would be filtered out from the lower pond, while only the clean water would be allowed into the lake, Selvaraj said. The capacity of the lake to hold water would also be doubled.