GCC begins clearing Nandanam canal

Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation has cleared more than 200 meters of the 1.6 km-long Nandanam Canal, a crucial channel draining floodwater from T Nagar, Nandanam, and Teynampet areas.
This action follows a TOI story published on Sept 17, highlighting how restoration work in the canal was halted, with a vehicle abandoned inside the canal for months. GCC has since resumed restoration near Lotus Colony, according to officials.
This waterway serves as a bypass channel from the Mambalam Canal. It starts behind Raintree Hotels, passes beneath Anna Salai and Nandanam Metro, and crosses Chamiers Road before draining into the Adyar River at Lotus Colony. GCC officials said that after the desilting work is completed in a few days, they will install a new gate for the canal, supported by tall nets to prevent dumping of garbage.
The canal's width had shrunk from 2.5 meters to 1.5 meters due to vegetation growth. Originally capable of carrying water at the rate of 37.5 cusecs of water, it can now carry only an inflow of 18.7 cusecs. Officials from the Teynampet zone said they plan to set up more motors near Sathyamurthy Nagar to divert water from the Mambalam Canal, where metro work is currently underway at Venkatnarayana Road.