CHENNAI: A once-slushy, garbage-ridden four-acre plot in Valasaravakkam is now a sprawling lake and will soon be transformed into an eco-park offering a leisure experience to people.
Valasaravakkam and Porur neighbourhoods, with more than 5 lakh residents, faced constant flooding, with knee-deep water near metro rail work sites. This caused snarls on the busy Porur-Vadapalani stretch regularly.
Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) found a fix for the civic issue by transforming an abandoned private land into a three-acre pond last month. It is now brimming with 1.5 million cubic feet of water. Located just 200 metres away Arcot Road on First Main Road in Valasaravakkam, the pond will soon be converted into an eco-park at a cost of 5 crore.
The Subramania Venkateshara Swamy pond has multiple tree islands for birds and an elevated bund to keep encroachers away. In future, GCC will set up footpaths and parking, landscaping work, an open-air theatre, gazebos, and toilet blocks in a one-acre area.
Deputy commissioner (works) V Sivakrishnamurthy said residents from 13 streets in the neighbourhood, including Jai Nagar and Sairram Nagar, made representations seeking a solution. “We then identified this private land lying unused. We reached out to the owners and acquired possession of the lands. In about one month, the pond was excavated,” he said.
The pond, which absorbed road runoff water from roads, will have interception channels to filter out SWD water, allowing the rest to enter the pond. Chief engineer S Rajendiran said they will also allow boating options like the Chetpet Lake. “It will be monetised and can improve the tourism aspect in this neighbourhood, who otherwise have to travel long distances,” he said.
Residents demanded the construction of boundary walls at the western end of the pond. “The pond does not have boundary walls. People throw garbage from the balconies of houses, and in abandoned corners, encroachers can expand too. They also have to install arches and gates, and deploy a watchman,” said K Sivasankaran, a resident of Sairram Nagar.
