IIT Madras team suggests a wall to prevent floods in Chennai

New Delhi: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have proposed construction of ‘Straight Training Walls’ to prevent flooding in Chennai. The wall is to be constructed at the mouth of Ennore Creek. The wall would minimize the flood risk significantly, a statement from the institute said.

Construction of the walls was proposed after a study was conducted by the IIT Madras team which found that heavy siltation in the creek mouth is the reason for flooding. The narrow opening in the mouth posed a flood threat to the areas adjoining the river.

The study showed straight training walls at the creek mouth and some regular de-silting of the river will improve the situation and minimize the flood risk significantly in North Chennai.

The study was undertaken by researchers which included K. Murali, S.A. Sannasiraj, and V. Sundar. All the researchers are professors in the department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras.

“A straight structure with sufficient crest height is essential to ensure the tidal prism ingress for flushing. Further, the straight training walls would act in complement with the present series of groynes which were designed by IIT Madras for shore protection too,” said V. Sundar, professor, department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras.

The three creeks – Adyar, Cooum and Ennore -- remain major bottlenecks due to sand bar formation at their mouths.

The result is significant flooding over the settlement along its banks, impact on coastal villages, disruption in fishing activity, industrial network on the upstream, road encroachments and illegal waste disposal.

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