A three-decade-old water pipeline burst on Grand Northern Trunk Road at Puzhal around 2 am on Monday, causing a cave-in with a crater measuring 6 metres long, 3 metres wide and 2 metres deep. The 1,200 mm diameter pipeline carries water from the 300 MLD Puzhal water treatment plant to northern Chennai. Water supply to Tondiarpet and parts of Manali, Madhavaram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar was suspended until 10 pm Wednesday. The pipeline, laid 35 years ago when the National Highway was two lanes, now faces increased load from the widened four-lane road with service lanes. A work order to replace the pipeline under the Ring Main System project will take two years to complete. This was the first cave-in from this pipeline in five years. A similar incident occurred three months earlier on the opposite side of the road from another 35-year-old pipeline. Metro Water deployed tanker lorries for emergency supply and residents could book tankers via the 'Dial for Water' facility on the agency website. Affected wards: Tondiarpet zone; Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar (Ward 71, 72); Madhavaram (Wards 25, 26, 28, 29, parts of 30, 27, 31); Manali zone Ward 17 (North Perumbakkam, Theeyambakkam, Kosapur, Chettimedu, Ariyalur, Thyagi Viswanath Das Nagar).

A 1,200mm diameter main pipeline from the 300 MLD Puzhal treatment plant burst in early Monday on GNT Road, Cycle Shop area of Puzhal (part of Kolkata National Highway). Cave-in rendered nearly half the road unusable, causing traffic standstill between Red Hills and Madhavaram. No injuries reported.

Metrowater pipeline replacement work will disrupt water supply in Zones 2, 3, 4 and 6 until 10pm September 9, affecting thousands of residents across north Chennai.

Zone 2 (Manali): Vadaperumbakkam, Theeyampakkam, Kosappur, Chettimedu. Zone 3 (Madhavaram): Ponniammanmedu, Vinayagapuram, Bank Colony, parts of Kathirvedu. Zone 4 (Tondiarpet): Entire area. Zone 6 (Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar): Areas near Perambur railway station and Kannikapuram.

Metrowater deployed additional water lorries to supplement existing fleet. Repair work coordinated with police and National Highways Authority of India. Residents can register for water delivery through 'Dial for Water' at cmwssb.tn.gov.in.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has planned a ₹65-crore project to desilt and raise the walls of the 10.8-km Otteri Nullah, from near Padi Flyover to Buckingham Canal. Canal maintenance transferred from the Water Resources Department to GCC in October 2024. Work is planned across Royapuram, Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar and Anna Nagar Zones V, VI and VIII; the tender was expected to be finalised on July 7, 2025. About ₹5 crore is allocated for cleaning and desilting, including removal of 2.95 lakh cubic metres of sludge, plastic waste and weeds using machines capable of digging up to 8 metres. Plans include bridge and infrastructure improvements, pollution control, encroachment prevention and a blue-green corridor. Residents say untreated sewage, industrial wastewater and garbage worsen air quality and flooding; they seek effluent controls and removal of encroachments. Floodwater from lakes in Ayapakkam, Ambattur, Kolathur and Villivakkam, combined with Buckingham Canal backflow, contributes to overflow. Flood diversions are planned for Anna Nagar and Perambur. A Madras High Court ruling directed the Corporation Commissioner to identify and remove adjacent encroachments; residents say this has not been done.