₹5,000 Crore Splash: Chennai’s Bold Move to Secure Water for 2050

The Water Resources Department (WRD) has held discussions with the World Bank on a proposal to implement the Integrated Water Security Project for the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA), which is expected to be supported by a loan of around ₹5,000 crore.

The project is aimed at strengthening Chennai’s resilience to droughts and floods and will be submitted for State government approval once feasibility studies are completed. During the discussions, the WRD presented a package of 40 projects focused on ensuring long-term water security, with an emphasis on cost-effective solutions.

Key components of the proposed programme include water conservation measures, institutional strengthening, and improvements in water-use efficiency. The World Bank has indicated its willingness to fund the initiative. According to WRD projections, water demand in the Chennai Metropolitan Area is expected to rise to 3,700 million litres per day by 2050.

Among the major proposals is a plan to increase the storage capacity of the Poondi reservoir by 700 million cubic feet at an estimated cost of ₹619 crore. Another priority project involves the restoration of Thirunindravur lake to supply drinking water to Avadi. Additionally, a ₹155 crore project to improve canals feeding key reservoirs, along with the introduction of real-time monitoring systems to optimise water use, was also discussed.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.