Flood mitigation: ADB’s 3,000 crore outlay to help GCC restore Manali Lake

Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation is set to restore a 29-acre lake in Manali, under a component of the Asian Development Bank project to ensure that North Chennai does not flood during the monsoons.
The lake, located along Manali High Road, receives water from the surplus of Kosasthalaiyar river and Puzhal, apart from rains. During the monsoons, it overflows and floods the highway and neighbourhoods.

Officials said the lake, which has a 1,787m circumference, is being dredged to a depth of 0.5m. "Its banks will be strengthened up to 4m, and a perimeter wall with a chain-link fence will be built for security. Dredging is currently in progress. GCC will then create a usable walk area, plant more trees, and build restrooms, helping put the lake to public use to prevent encroachments," said deputy mayor Mahesh Kumar.
The project is expected to be funded from a component of the Asian Development Bank-funded 3,000 crore Kosasthalaiyar Basin project. Residents said the corporation must restore the link between the chain of lakes from Mathur, Manali, Kadapakkam, and Sathangadu.
"The Kosasthalaiyar River carries floodwaters at the rate of 40,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second), but the lakes do not have the capacity to store all the water. The Mathur Lake and Retteri also need to be restored," said J Jeevanandham, an activist from Manali.
The water resources department is converting the 400-acre Retteri Lake into Chennai's fifth reservoir, while the 80-acre Sathangadu Lake is being converted into an eco-park.