Velachery is among the 54 lakes that ultimately drain into the Pallikaranai Marshland, one of the most critical and fragile marshlands of Tamil Nadu. The Pallikaranai Marshland is among the last remaining natural wetlands of the city that contain several rare and threatened species and acts as a breeding ground for thousands of migratory birds such as the Wood Sandpiper, Comb Duck, Northern Shoveller, pintail dusks, cormorants, spoonbills, Spot-billed Pelicans, etc. Velachery lake is an urban lake.

Once spanning over 107.48 hectares, only 22.4 hectares of the original lake body remains. This is however unprotected from development. This freshwater lake, until recently, worked as an effective natural system for groundwater recharge and as a flood reservoir during heavy rains. Lake Velachery, surrounded on all sides by residential and commercial developments, has degraded over time due to excessive silt accumulation, untreated sewage disposal, solid waste dumping and increased encroachment.

The project aims to achieve multiple benefits for the local communities living around its shores, its biodiversity and the environment as a whole. Restoration efforts also contribute towards improving the health of its surrounding interconnected lakes and in turn, the Pallikaranai Marshland. Ensuring Chennai’s future economic development does not further degrade its freshwater resources, The Urban Lab and our partners (Samanea Consultancy) are working in Chennai to demonstrate science-based lake restoration efforts through our on-ground project. The project involves close assessment of the environment, biodiversity, and the communities living near the lake. Our work is ensuring broader integration and the application of freshwater conservation and restoration activities into country and state policies addressing the causes of degradation.

Services
Site Analysis
Master Planning and Urban Design
Lakefront design
Surveys and Stakeholder Consultation
Focussed group discussions
Tender document preparation and BoQ
Tender evaluation
Financial Advisory
Transaction Advisory
Site monitoring and supervision

Clients
Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority

Partners
Samanea Consultancy Pvt. Ltd.

Period
November 2023 - ongoing