TUDA, TMC get down to ‘flood-proof’ Tirupati

The Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) and Tirupati Municipal Corporation (TMC) have jointly taken up the mammoth task of flood-proofing the temple city of Tirupati ahead of the ensuing monsoon season.

In 2021, the heavy downpour atop Tirumala hills made water gush down to leave the city marooned, providing ample proof of the absence of proper channels that were either encroached upon or filled with silt.

As part of the ambitious ‘City of Tanks and Lakes’ project, which was envisaged by the Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, a joint team led by TUDA Chairman C. Divakar Reddy and TMC Commissioner Sarada Devi inspected Kapila Theertham and Malvadigundam waterfalls, which bring the gush of water from Tirumala into the city.

At Kapila Theertham, the team proposed conducting a hydrological assessment of peak flow, duration, and water availability using gauging and modelling, and using any surplus water for groundwater recharge by constructing a storage pond.

The team also assessed the hydrogeological profile of Malvadigundam and the recharge potential on the channel bed for a length of 150-200 metres immediately downstream of Divyaramam (or ‘Nagaravanam’, the urban park).

Mr. Divakar Reddy also contemplated constructing deep aquifer recharge structures on the middle of the bed, upstream of the existing check dams, besides developing vegetation and walking track in the existing park.

TUDA Secretary N.V. Sreekanth Babu and Water Resources Department Superintending Engineer P. Venkateswara Prasad were present.