Protest Halts Removal of Encroachments from Kolathur Tank for Restoration Project

The effort to clear encroachments from a section of the Kolathur tank was brought to a halt on Friday due to resident protests. This action was part of a lake restoration project aimed at improving the water body and mitigating local floods. The Water Resources Department had accomplished nearly 80% of the rejuvenation work for the long-neglected tank, which has faced a decrease in size due to rapid urbanization.

The biometric enumeration process started on Gangaiamman Koil Street, Kolathur, but was abandoned due to objections from residents, even though around 100 encroachments were identified for removal. The department has already cleared encroachments along Inner Ring Road and surrounding areas, creating a balancing pond in the recovered space.

This pond will store floodwater discharged from the tank via a new regulator. The tank’s extent has been deepened, de-silted, and provided with a walking track as part of the ₹7.3 crores ($1 million) project, with plans for greenery. The department aims to finish the work before the northeast monsoon season while simultaneously addressing encroachments.