Chennai Metrowater builds walls to protect water conduit lines – The Hindu

Metrowater is constructing walls along its sites at various points to protect infrastructure used to transport water to the Kilpauk treatment plant.

The agency is carrying out the work along stretches vulnerable to encroachment. The three huge conduit lines, in place since the British period, form one of the oldest existing infrastructure to carry raw water from the Red Hills reservoir to the Kilpauk Water Works. It is from here that water is treated and distributed to various points such as Valluvar Kottam, Anna Poonga (Washermenpet), Kannapar Thidal (Choolai) and Triplicane.

Officials of the agency said work is being done at sites in Surapet, Water Canal Road, Rajamangalam and New Avadi Road, where these pipelines are located. The oldest conduit line built with brick masonry in 1914 continues to carry about 170 million litres of water a day.

The work is being done in phases in the 10-km portion to secure the conduit lines amidst challenges like the pandemic, encroachment and waterlogging, said officials. They recalled that nearly five acres of land was reclaimed after encroachments were cleared three years ago. These lines run along both the sides of the roads and some portions continue to be encroached.

The water agency is considering plans to landscape the secured portion, in the same manner as work done along the New Avadi Road near the ICF Rail Museum.

One of the damaged conduit lines, which was built in 1986, may soon start carrying water again. Work to reconstruct the pipeline, which collapsed a decade ago, is nearing completion. “We are building a 4-m-wide twin concrete channel for a distance of 5.2 km. Two conduit lines have been combined during reconstruction and are being linked to the existing lines near Rajamangalam, Villivakkam. It would have a capacity to carry up to 250 MLD water,” said an official.

The project is expected to be finished by the end of January or early February.