The Greater Chennai Corporation has reviewed stormwater drainage and canal works in Adyar and Sholinganallur zones, including the widening of the Okkiyam Maduvu Canal, as the city prepares for the Northeast monsoon. Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran inspected the works on October 1 and directed officials to expedite projects that are intended to improve water flow and drainage connectivity.
The inspection covered stormwater drain works near Tidel Park in Zone 13, Adyar, where Chennai Metro Rail Limited is undertaking construction activities. The drainage project is being executed to provide connectivity to the Buckingham Canal. The Commissioner reviewed the progress of the work and instructed officials to complete it at a faster pace.
The inspection then moved to the Okkiyam Maduvu Canal area in Zone 15, Sholinganallur, where CMRL works are also under way. Officials told the Corporation that water had earlier been flowing through a 10-metre-wide opening in the canal. After an earthen obstruction was removed, the waterway was widened to 98 metres, according to the officials.
The Corporation said the widened channel would enable smoother and more efficient movement of water through the canal. The work is part of precautionary drainage measures being undertaken before the monsoon, when intense rainfall can place pressure on Chennai’s stormwater network and waterways.
The Okkiyam Maduvu Canal is located in Chennai’s southern growth corridor, where expanding residential, commercial and transport infrastructure has increased the importance of effective drainage connections. The inspection indicates that the Corporation’s current focus is not limited to clearing individual drains but also includes improving links between local stormwater infrastructure and larger waterways such as the Buckingham Canal.
The Commissioner also inspected stormwater drain works near Nookampalayam Junction Road. Officials were directed to complete the remaining work at the earliest. The project status at the site was not specified in the report, but it formed part of the wider review of drainage preparedness in the two zones.
The inspection involved multiple agencies, with the Corporation reviewing municipal drainage requirements alongside works being carried out by CMRL. This coordination is significant because construction activity and drainage infrastructure occupy the same urban spaces, making the timing and completion of related works important before heavy rainfall.
The Corporation’s review comes ahead of the Northeast monsoon and focuses on improving the capacity and continuity of stormwater flows. The next stated step is the expedited completion of the ongoing drain works near Tidel Park, Okkiyam Maduvu Canal and Nookampalayam Junction Road before the monsoon intensifies.
