Mon Jun 02 19:05:29 UTC 2025: **Here’s a summary:**

Recurring floods and power outages plague residents and businesses in Korattur and the Ambattur Industrial Estate during the Northeast monsoon season. To combat this, the Water Resources Department (WRD) is launching a ₹130-crore project to construct a channel diverting surplus water from Ambattur lake to the Cooum river. The project, expected to begin by the end of June, aims to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall by reducing the burden on existing waterways and preventing waterlogging. Residents express hope that the channel will provide much-needed relief, and officials are also planning additional measures such as desilting Korattur lake and improving the North Canal.

**Here’s a rewritten news article:**

**Chennai Residents to Get Flood Relief as New Water Diversion Project Launched**

**Chennai, India – June 3, 2025** – After years of enduring annual inundation and power outages during the Northeast monsoon, residents of Korattur and the Ambattur Industrial Estate in Chennai can finally look forward to some relief. The Water Resources Department (WRD) has announced the launch of a ₹130-crore project aimed at mitigating the chronic flooding that has plagued the area.

The centerpiece of the project is the construction of a five-kilometer channel designed to divert surplus water from Ambattur lake to the Cooum river. This new channel, capable of carrying approximately 400 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water, will alleviate pressure on existing waterways, particularly the Otteri Nullah, which frequently overflows during heavy rainfall.

“The rainy season is often a nightmare for residents,” said J. Gopalakrishnan, president of the Korattur Federation of Residents’ Welfare Association. “Rainwater has entered homes, and we’ve suffered without electricity for days. We desperately need this channel before the next monsoon.”

WRD officials stated that the lack of sufficient culverts along the Pattaravakkam railway line has exacerbated the flooding issue. The new channel will ensure that only around 400 cusecs of rainwater from local catchment areas flow through Korattur before draining into Korattur lake, significantly reducing the risk of waterlogging.

Ambattur MLA Joseph Samuel added that further measures are in the pipeline, including the desilting and restoration of Korattur lake, and improvements to the North Canal in Korattur. Funding for these projects is currently pending.

Construction on the channel is expected to begin by the end of June. Residents hope that this initiative, along with other planned improvements, will finally put an end to the annual misery caused by monsoon flooding.

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