The work to interconnect the pipeline from the Chembarambakkam water treatment plant to the city’s water distribution network will be completed in a few days. Residents will get improved water supply from August.

Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru inspected the operation of the treatment plant and the ongoing ₹66.78-crore pipeline work on Friday. The pipeline will travel for 11.7 km from Chembarambakkam to Porur and will be interconnected with a network to Tambaram. The second portion of the pipeline will be 9.2 km long and travel from the Poonamallee Bypass Road junction to Koyambedu.

Once the trial run is completed in a fortnight, the water supply from Chembarambakkam will be increased from 265 million litres a day (mld) to 530 mld. Residents of various localities, including Anna Nagar, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Kodambakkam, Teynampet, Adyar, Tambaram, Kundrathur, and Sriperumbudur, will get improved water supply, a press release said.

Mr. Nehru, who also inspected the Minjur desalination plant, instructed officials to prepare a detailed project report to revamp the facility. Chennai’s first desalination plant in Kattupalli was established in 2010. However, it became dysfunctional owing to internal issues, including labour unrest and contract termination.

The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board will take measures to assess the condition of the plant and increase production to 100 mld. Mr. Nehru also instructed officials to explore the possibility of providing water supply to neighbouring villages. Minister for Minorities Welfare S.M. Nasar and Poonamallee MLA A. Krishnaswamy were among those present.

According to a press release, Mr. Nehru on Friday inaugurated a street renamed ‘Bishop Ezra Sargunam Road’ in ward 100 of Kilpauk. The road where Bishop Ezra Sargunam, the first national leader of the Evangelical Church of India, lived has been renamed in his honour.

Mr. Nehru also inspected the construction of the 1,200-m flyover on South Usman Road, being built at a cost o ₹164.92 crore under the Infrastructure and Amenities Fund. He reviewed the gig workers’ rest lounge on Prakasam Road, built at a cost of ₹25 lakh. He later inspected the ₹32.62-crore restoration works at Victoria Public Hall being carried out under the Singara Chennai 2.0 project.