Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation has asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to remove all boulders, embankments and temporary pathways created along the Cooum River for the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor work by Oct 15 to ensure smooth flow of river water.As part of precautionary measures ahead of the northeast monsoon, the civic body has been coordinating with the Water Resources Department, Highways Department, Chennai Metro Rail Limited, NHAI, Southern Railway and other agencies.Corporation Commissioner G S Sameeran said NHAI, which is executing the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor, had been asked to temporarily halt work and remove structures created for construction, particularly those obstructing the Cooum. “Nearly 70% has been removed so far. They will remove the remaining soon,” he said.The 20km Chennai Port-Maduravoyal project involves the construction of a double-decker elevated corridor. Temporary structures were created along sections of the Cooum for work on the corridor’s pillars. More than 200 temporary structures were built along the river. NHAI has been removing them since August. The civic body has asked NHAI to ensure that all boulders, embankments and temporary pathways along the Cooum are removed by October 15, he said.The clearance comes ahead of the northeast monsoon, which the India Meteorological Department has said is likely to set in over Tamil Nadu between Oct 15 and 21. Sameeran said that while rainfall could be lower in an El Niño year, the city could still receive extremely heavy rain spells, with 20cm to 30cm of rain in a day. “Precautionary measures are being carried out in full force,” he said.
