Madurantakam lake to be fully functional by Feb 2026: Water Resources department

CHENNAI: Restoration work at Madurantakam lake is at its final stages as the project has reached 95 per cent completion. Water Resources department officials say the project on one of the biggest lakes of Chengalpattu will wind up by February 2026.

Constructed by King Uthama Chozhan in the 10th century, the lake spans around 4,752 acres, with a storage capacity of 23.4 feet. It provides irrigation to about 2,853 acres of farmland spread across 36 villages, including Valarpirai, Mullai, Kadaperi, Vilagam, and Mukkancherry.

Over the decades, heavy silt deposits have drastically reduced the lake's capacity, making even 10 feet of water appear as maximum capacity.

Following continued protests of worried farmers, the state government decided to pour in Rs 120 crore for the lake's restoration in 2021, and works commenced in 2022. An additional Rs 43 crore was allotted to build a 12-shuttered surplus sluice gate.

The new design includes 12 automated shutters spanning 144 metres, powered by motors. These will help both store more water and safely release excess flow during floods. Trial operations to release water through the new gates are now under way.

According to WRD engineers, the lake has begun receiving steady inflows, and early tests of the automated gates have been successful, thanks to the northeast monsoon.

Once completed, the project will help replenish groundwater, paddy cultivation and benefit the 36 villages.

The Madurantakam lake will be fully functional and ready for agricultural and public use by February 2026, marking the revival of a historic waterbody, officials said.

Before restoration, the lake's capacity was 694 million cubic feet (mcft). Once completed, the modernised reservoir will be capable of storing one thousand million cubic feet of water annually.