Chief Minister M. K. Chief Minister M K Stalin laid the foundation stone for the Mamallan reservoir project at Nemmeli on the East Coast Road in Chengalpattu district on Monday. The project, estimated to cost ₹342.60 crore, is being taken up by the Water Resources Department to improve water supply to the fast-growing southern suburbs of Chennai.
Speaking at the event, Stalin said the reservoir will be built in the Kovalam basin and will cover areas between Thiruporur and Thirukazhukundram along the ECR–OMR stretch. He explained that the project is designed to stop excess water from Manamathi lake from flowing into the sea. Instead, the water will be stored in the new reservoir between Thiruvidanthai and Kokilamedu.
The Mamallan reservoir will spread over about 5,100 acres and will have a storage capacity of 1.65 thousand million cubic feet (TMC). It will also include a 34-km-long bund. Once completed, the reservoir is expected to supply around 170 million litres of water per day.
The project will greatly benefit residents in areas such as Sholinganallur, Medavakkam, Pallikaranai, Siruseri, Thiruporur and Mamallapuram. In total, about 13 lakh people living in Chennai’s southern suburbs are expected to gain improved and reliable water supply from the project.