Chennai to Get ₹41-Crore Stormwater Drain for Flood Prevention in Western Suburbs
Chennai’s western suburbs, including Villivakkam, Ambattur, Korattur, Padi, and Anna Nagar West, are expected to get relief from recurrent monsoon flooding with a new stormwater drain network. The Greater Chennai Corporation will connect Otteri Nullah Zero Point to the Cooum river along Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, as announced in the Tamil Nadu Budget session for the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department on Monday (August 24, 2026).
The project, estimated at ₹41 crore, will be implemented with assistance from a German bank. The drain is designed to carry excess rainwater from waterlogging-prone areas to the river, potentially reducing the severity of flooding during the northeast monsoon.
The announcement is part of a broader package of urban infrastructure and sanitation projects under the Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Development Mission (CMIUDM), which covers Chennai and adjoining urban local bodies.
In addition to the stormwater drain, the State government has approved several other initiatives. The 31-MLD sewage treatment plant at Tiruvottiyur will be upgraded at a cost of ₹42 crore using Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) technology, a compact treatment process that facilitates the growth of biofilms on moving carriers. The contract will also include 10 years of operation and maintenance.
To improve the upkeep of underground drainage systems, the State has allocated ₹102 crore for 100% mechanisation of maintenance work across municipal corporations and municipalities. This is intended to reduce manual intervention and improve efficiency.
Legacy waste management is another focus area. A sum of ₹93 crore has been earmarked for biomining of old waste dumps in Avadi and Tambaram corporations, besides Coimbatore Corporation and 25 municipalities. Biomining involves the scientific segregation and processing of accumulated solid waste to reclaim land.
For the southern suburbs, the State has set aside ₹254 crore for sewage infrastructure. This includes ₹104 crore for the rehabilitation of the underground drainage system in Pallavaram and Chromepet, and ₹150 crore for a new sewerage scheme in Thiruneermalai. These projects aim to address long-standing sanitation issues and ensure better wastewater management.
The government also plans to convert biogas from sewage sludge into Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) at 22 sewage treatment plants in Chennai. This will be done under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative, which encourages the use of CBG as a vehicle fuel. The move is expected to support resource recovery and reduce fossil fuel dependency.
At the Perungudi and Kodungaiyur dumpyards, bio-mining operations will be expanded to clear an additional 28.70 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste. Drone surveys identified this volume within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits. The scientific clearing of this waste is projected to cost ₹276 crore and will help reclaim land, improve public health, and enhance the quality of life in surrounding areas.
Separately, the development of playgrounds in Greater Chennai Corporation areas will be taken up at a cost of ₹10 crore under CMIUDM funds.
