Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Saturday, February 24, 2024, inaugurated the Nemmeli desalination plant, which has a capacity of 150 million litres per day (mld), to supply drinking water to 9 lakh residents in various parts of Chennai.
Residents of Velachery, Kilkattalai. Sholinganallur, St. Thomas Mount, Ullagaram, Alandur, Medavakkam, Kovilambakkam, Moovarasanpettai, Madipakkam, Pallavaram and areas along Rajiv Gandhi Salai (IT Corridor) are expected to benefit from the Nemmeli desalination plant.
Speaking at an event organised in the presence of local residents after the inauguration, Mr. Stalin said the State government will also complete the fourth desalination plant, of 750 mld capacity in Chennai, ahead of deadlines. “Work on the first desalination plant started in 2007. The work was completed in 2010. We are taking steps to provide drinking water to residents. The DMK government had played a major role in the making of Singara Chennai,“ said Mr. Stalin.
The Chief Minister also planted saplings on the premises of the 10.5 acre desalination plant, which was constructed at a cost of ₹1,516 crore.
After the inauguration, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Secretary D. Karthikeyan explained various technical aspects of the operation of the desalination plant to the Chief Minister in the presence of Municipal Administration and Water Supply Minister K. N. Nehru.
The project is significant for many areas of the Chennai metropolitan area, as the frequency of water supply will increase after the opening of this plant. For instance, Pallavaram will get an allocation of 25 mld from the desalination plant. The water conveyance main passes from the desalination plant through roads such as East Coast Road, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Pallavaram Thoraipakkam Radial Road and GST Road.
Mr. Stalin also inaugurated 95 other projects including the green building that houses the command and control centre, on the premises of the Chennai Corporation’s headquarters, Ripon Buildings. The projects are estimated to have cist ₹2,465 crore.
Water Resources minister Duraimurugan, Public Works minister E. V. Velu, Small Industries Minister T. M. Anbarasan, Chennai Mayor R. Priya, Deputy Mayor M. Magesh Kumar, Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, MAWS Secretary D. Karthikeyan, Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan and Metrowater MD T. G. Vinay were among those who participated.
