Fri Sep 26 00:36:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summarized news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
The Water Resources Department (WRD) is expediting a ₹31-crore project to dredge a 7.3-km stretch of the Central Buckingham Canal in Chennai. Decades of sediment accumulation have severely reduced the canal’s flood-carrying capacity. The dredging aims to remove sludge and debris, increasing the flow to 2,500 cubic feet per second, particularly benefiting areas like Chepauk, Triplicane, and Mylapore. The project, expected to be completed before the monsoon, involves challenges like MRTS pillars and encroachments. Residents are already noting improvements in cleanliness and water flow.
**News Article:**
**Chennai’s Buckingham Canal Gets Major Clean-Up to Combat Flooding**
**CHENNAI, September 26, 2025** – After years of neglect, a crucial stretch of Chennai’s Central Buckingham Canal is undergoing a major dredging operation aimed at significantly improving its flood-handling capacity and reducing inundation in the city. The Water Resources Department (WRD) has expedited the ₹31-crore project, focusing on removing decades of accumulated sediment that has severely hampered the canal’s ability to manage floodwater effectively.
The 7.3-km stretch between Sivananda Salai and R.A. Puram is the focus of the dredging, with a goal to increase its flood-carrying capacity to 2,500 cubic feet per second. Officials say that sediment accumulation has affected the flood handling capacity of the canal, which has no natural slope within city limits, and the canal receives flood discharge from neighbourhoods such as Chepauk, Triplicane, Mylapore and parts of Mambalam. The dredging will reach a depth of one meter to clear sludge and debris, ensuring smoother water flow before the onset of the northeast monsoon.
The project faces several challenges, including the presence of MRTS pillars and encroachments along the canal’s path. Specialized equipment, like amphibious excavators, is being used to navigate these obstacles.
Residents in areas like Triplicane and Mylapore are already reporting positive changes. “The portions of the canal near MRTS stations, appeared cleaner after many years,” said T.J. Ramani, a resident. “Narrow stretches like in Sunkuwar Street are now free of garbage.”
The dredged silt will be transported to low-lying areas in Basin Bridge. Future phases of the project include bank protection, aesthetic improvements, and the creation of recreational spaces along the canal. The WRD said the first phase is to be completed before the northeast monsoon hits Chennai.
First Piper 