Krishna Canal repair works set to begin near uthukottai

After a gap of over five years, the Water Resources Department is set to take up repair works in the canals that transport water to the reservoirs used for drinking water supply to city.

The Department has obtained a fund of Rs.10.89 crore from the State government to repair the damaged portions of the canal. Officials of the WRD said the work was essential to prevent silting up of the canal and also arrest seepage.

The Department has identified several points in the 25.2 km-long Kandaleru-Poondi canal, between the inter-state border at Uthukottai and Poondi reservoir, which are in dire need of repair.

The vulnerable portions of the canal's embankment would be provided with concrete lining and canal bed would also be concretised wherever there is a need for repair. Earlier, the Satya Sai Trust had undertaken similar works in some portions of the canal during 2007.

However, the WRD would implement the project of repairing the entire stretch after many years at a cost of Rs.4.75 crore. Similarly, the link canal running 25-km between Poondi and Chembarambakkam reservoirs would also be repaired.

Besides repairing the 21.5 km stretch of feeder canal that branches out from link canal to Red Hills reservoir, the road along the canal would also be relaid. The works would ensure that the water bodies receive the maximum volume of water discharged from other reservoirs, an official said.

At present, the water realised at the reservoirs is only 65-70 per cent of the volume discharged owing to damage in the canals.

The water realisation would be increased by a minimum of 10 per cent on completion of the project. The canals have a capacity to carry 1,000 cubic feet of water per second, the official added.

The project would be taken up in two or three months as the KP canal is still receiving Krishna water from Kandaleru reservoir.

Poondi reservoir has so far received 4,000 thousand cubic feet of water since the water discharge in June. On Friday, the combined storage of four reservoirs in Red Hills, Poondi, Cholavaram and Chembarambakkam stood at 7,237 mcft against the capacity of 11,057 mcft, officials said.