Wed Jul 23 19:24:22 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, focusing on the sponge park initiative in Chennai:
**Chennai to Combat Flooding with New “Sponge Parks”**
**Chennai, July 24, 2025** – The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has announced a ₹9.45 crore project to develop “sponge parks” at two locations in Chennai – the Chennai Corporation Park in Thoraipakkam and the Elango Nagar playground in Padi. The initiative, revealed today, is designed to mitigate flooding, recharge groundwater, and enhance the city’s resilience to climate change.
This project is part of a larger plan outlined in the Tamil Nadu Budget for 2025-26, which allocated ₹88 crore for the establishment of seven climate-resilient sponge parks across the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA).
Officials confirmed that necessary administrative approvals have been secured, allowing the CMDA to commence work on the identified sites, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Greater Chennai Corporation.
The existing parks will be retrofitted with a central pond-like structure, approximately three feet deep, to store rainwater collected via an underground pipe network. This system is designed to absorb excess rainwater, recharging the groundwater table. Once the surrounding soil is saturated, any remaining water will be safely diverted into the city’s stormwater drainage system.
“Sponge parks are particularly beneficial for urban areas facing groundwater depletion,” stated a CMDA official. “They offer a sustainable solution for managing rainwater, contributing significantly to Chennai’s long-term water security and adaptation to the impacts of climate change.”
The project is expected to significantly improve Chennai’s ability to manage heavy rainfall and reduce the risk of urban flooding, a persistent concern for the city.
First Piper 