Chennai: Years of dependence on water tankers may be over for more than 13,000 residents living along the Pallavaram–Thoraipakkam Radial Road stretch, as they are set to receive piped drinking water supply this year, with Tambaram city municipal corporation initiating a ₹5-crore project to improve water distribution.The corridor has witnessed rapid residential and commercial growth over the past few years, but many apartments continue to rely on private water tankers in the absence of a dedicated piped water distribution network. Residents spend a hefty sum to meet their daily water needs.The corporation has floated a tender to install around 25 km of water distribution pipelines between Keelkattalai and Pallavaram GST Road segment, covering several apartment complexes and high-rise residential buildings2. Officials said the project is expected to meet an estimated drinking water demand of 2.7 million litres per day (MLD) and is likely to be completed by the year end.Tambaram corporation currently requires around 135MLD of drinking water every day but receives only about 90MLD, with a daily shortfall of nearly 45MLD. Officials said the proposed 400MLD desalination plant at Perur is expected to strengthen the city’s long-term water supply after it becomes operational.T M Krishnan, of Pallavaram, said apartment complexes have been spending nearly ₹1.5 lakh every month on tanker water for the past five years. “Our petitions to the Tambaram corporation have finally paid off. This is the first major step towards solving our water problem. We only hope the project is executed quickly,” he said.On Saturday, Tambaram corporation commissioner S Balachander, along with Chennai Metrowater officials, inspected several high-rise residential buildings along the stretch on Saturday to assess the feasibility of extending the water supply infrastructure. He told TOI that a lack of proper surveys had delayed the development of drinking water infrastructure despite rapid urbanisation in the corridor. “We have now adopted a multi-department approach, and work will begin within a month. Our aim is to provide piped drinking water to this stretch by the end of the year,” he said.According to official data, Tambaram requires a total water distribution network of about 1,091.31 km. So far, around 534.5 km of pipelines have been laid across the corporation limits.Officials also reviewed the construction of a 390m main stormwater drain from RKV Avenue to the 200 Feet Radial Road in Ward 21, a part of the ₹100-crore flood mitigation project being implemented before the northeast monsoon.However, environmental activists raised concerns over the condition of lakes and stormwater drains in the corridor. Pallavaram resident and senior activist David Manohar said Pallavaram Periya Eri and Putheri Lake continue to take in sewage through illegal connections. “The corporation should remove lake encroachments, restore the waterbodies and improve water supply,” he added.
