Tamil Nadu CM launches major water reservoir project worth Rs 342.60 crore

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday laid the foundation stone for the Mamallan reservoir project near Nemmeli that will be established at an estimated cost of Rs 342.60 crore to augment the drinking water resources for Chennai.

This will be the sixth dam for the city, which depends on Poondi, Choolavaram, Puzhal (Red Hills), Chembarambakkam, and Kannankottai-Thervoy Kandigai.

In addition, the Veeranam lake and a few desalination plants, too, meet the requirement.

The Mamallan reservoir, located in the Kovalam sub-basin between Kelambakkam and Mamallapuram in neighbouring Chengalpattu district, aims to store the surplus floodwater which currently empties into the sea, and addresses the shortfall for drinking water in Chennai, state Water Resources Department Secretary J Jayakathan said.

“This project will ensure 17 lakh crore litres of water per day to Chennai and 6,605 crore litres per year and the dam area is spread across 5,161 acres of land,” he said.

Nearly 18 km of the Buckingham Canal from the stretch between Thiruvidanthai to Mamallapuram has been renovated to prevent sea water intrusion and retain the quality of the groundwater, he said at the foundation-stone laying function in which the Chief Minister flagged off the commencement of the works in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, state ministers and senior officials.

The project has obtained the Coastal Regulation Zone clearance in 2025.

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.