With storage levels dipping, Krishna water likely to ease Chennai’s thirst
With water storage levels dipping at the city’s major reservoirs, it is a grim situatioin as it may only feed the city for a month. But the good news is that the city will start receiving 2 TMC of Krishna water anytime now. As per the 1983 agreement between the two states, 12 tmcft water should be supplied to Chennai of which 8 tmcft should have come between July and October. Lack of adequate inflow in the waterbodies of Andhra Pradesh was cited for the delay in releasing water to Chennai.
The Water Works Department has undertaken speedy repair work in the 25 Km long Kandaleri-Poondi stretch and 90% of the work has been completed to facilitate free flow of water. The city might receive more water when the inflow to Kandaleru reservoir goes up.
Source: The Hindu
CMDA to put spaces under flyover to better use
Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority will take cues from Matunga & JJ flyover in Mumbai and Fuerzas Armadas flyover in Cairo, Egypt to put spaces under Chennai flyovers to optimum utilisation. The Kathipara flyover is already set to get new amenities, and soon 22 other flyovers across Chennai will follow suit.
The various Government department officials have come together to collaborate for a feasibility study.
Source: The Times of India
Government sets up new corporation for implementing water schemes
Similar to Tamil Nadu Road Development Authority, the Government is setting up Water Resources Conservation and River Restoration Corporation to help in implementation of water schemes. In addition to working on special projects and preparing detailed study, the Corporation will draft innvoative schemes and will also work on mobilising resources form external agencies like World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
From wetland conservation to keeping a check on sewage outflow into water bodies, from check dams to creating renewable energy in tanks and dams, the Corporation will work on enhancing and restructuring engineering services.
Source: The Times of India
Chennai Corporation to e-auction abandoned vehicles on September 27
Chennai Corporation had seized 7800 odd abandoned vehicles from across 11 zones in the city, that were clogged in the busy roads. Earlier in March, the Corporation had announced that abandoned vehilces would be seized. The registration number of these vehicles were put up on corporation’s website on August 20th and 15 days time was given to the owners to claim the same. The unclaimed vehicles were classified as abandoned and the list is available in www.chennaicorporation.gov.in
With the deadline for claiming these vehicles already over, they will now be up for e-auction on September 27th.
Source: The Times of India
Chennai Metro joins hand with Corporate to ease road usage
With peak hour traffic being dominated by commuters to IT offices at Guindy, Sholinganallur and Porur Chennai Metro has taken the initiative to jointly work with corporates to ease road usage and to promote public transportation. CMRL has started the initiative with IT major Infosys where employees have the option to travel till Alandur in the Metro and then can take the company bus to Mahindra World City. The facility will also be extended to employees at the Sholinganallur campus.
Recently, CMRL had also entered into a similar effort with DLF where the employees working at the IT park at Porur can travel in Metro till Alandur and then take the 14 seater office van to the office.
Source: The Hindu | Metro Rail News
Corporation may invoke Section 40 of Land Acquisiton Act for disaster management
Chennai Corporation is doing all it can to ensure monsoon prepardeness in the city. As part of the efforts, in a recent meeting of senior officials of line agencies on disaster preparedness, suggestions were made to invoke Section 40 of Land Acquisiton Act which gave special powers to District Collector to acquire any private land to meet emergencies during natural disaster.
In the absence of adequate public buildings to house relief camps, the invoking of this Act will help in relief operations. Post the 2015 floods, the civic infrastrucutre projects like canals, drains could not be developed much due to challenges in acquiring land for this purpose.
Source: The Hindu