Stories
The Hidden Lake And Railway Obstructions In Ambattur
N
News18•12-10-2026, 18:48
The Hidden Lake And Railway Obstructions In Ambattur
- •Ambattur was once a peaceful agricultural village with an intricate ancient lake irrigation and water management system.
- •Rainwater from Avadi flowed into Ambattur Lake, and its surplus water reached Korattur Lake before merging with the Buckingham Canal through Otteri Nullah.
- •Agricultural lands were converted into industrial plots following the establishment of the Ambattur Industrial Estate in the 1960s.
- •A railway line obstructed the water flow path, allowing only 570 cubic feet of water to be discharged instead of the planned 1830 cubic feet.
- •Current efforts include desilting works and measures to prevent sewage mixing into the lake to improve future water management.
Key Questions Answered
A railway line obstructed the water flow path, allowing only 570 cubic feet of water per second to be discharged out of the planned 1,830 cubic feet, which causes water stagnation during heavy rains.
According to the 2021 report by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Ambattur Lake has a recorded area of 156.55 hectares and a storage capacity of 232 million cubic feet.
According to the 1961 Census report, Ambattur was a peaceful agricultural village, but the establishment of the Ambattur Industrial Estate in the 1960s led to agricultural lands being converted into industrial plots and the complete cessation of irrigation.
