Once a rainwater carrier snaking through the heart of the city for nearly 6 km, the Mambalam Canal has become a sewage carrier over the years.
The condition of the canal renders the task of desilting hard. The civic body now plans to spend over ₹10 crore on every kilometre to revive it.
Under a plan to redevelop the canal, which criss-crosses T. Nagar, Teynampet and Saidapet before flowing into Adyar river, the civic body will deepen and desilt it and construct retainer walls.
The project will be taken up under Area Based Development (ABD) of the Smart Cities Mission.
The civic body has completed the detailed project report and has called for a tender to execute it.
Corporation Commissioner K. Prakash said funding was available; so unlike the pedestrian plaza which was delayed, the project could be completed within nine months of a contractor having been identified.
The civic body is pushing for the renovation of the canal as encroachments, which normally hold up restoration of canals and cause social upheaval, are minimal.
L. Nandakumar, Chief Engineer (General), said the removal of encroachments was completed two years ago along the canal from Valluvar Kottam to Saidapet. While an integrated stormwater drain system and macro-canals have been completed in the extended areas of the city, the Mambalam Canal restoration is the first project in the city aimed at flood mitigation, apart from beautification.
Meetings of stakeholders have been held, and residents have welcomed the project, Mr. Nandakumar said. “Once the restoration work is completed, the profile of the areas around the canal will change,” he noted.
The Corporation plans to convert the canal not only into a sewage-free flood-carrier by desilting it and constructing a retaining wall but also into an attractive urban landscape with pedestrian pathways, a cycling track, greenery and parks.
The civic body will stem the flow of sewage from houses and commercial establishments into the canal by installing pipes on both sides of the canal and link them to the collection points.
From there, the sewage would be taken to the nearest Metrowater sewage pumping station.
R. Govindaraj, president, Exnora-Greater Chennai, said the Mambalam Canal must be restored as the macro-canal that passes through the city was on the verge of collapse with rampant encroachments, dumping of garbage and letting of sewage.