GREEN HEART KOYAMBEDU

Consisting of the city’s largest perishable goods market (with a yearly turnover of $200 million USD), the largest inter-city bus terminal and a sewage treatment plant, Koyambedu is Chennai’s primary infrastructural and logistics hub. It is situated on naturally low-lying areas between the Coovum River and the Virugambakkam-Arugambakkam channel. The severe flooding in 2015 not only crippled all modes of transport and city-wide food supplies, but also put $191.3 Million investments at stake to damage from inundation. With 85% of all surfaces being impervious, the absorption capacity and ground water levels have faced severe decline over the years. In addition, the Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex is poorly maintained, creating 200 tonnes of unmanaged waste daily .

A large industrial hub with chronic flooding that cripples food logistics and intermodal transit will be protected with stormwater absorbing measures and a solid waste recycling program. The site also hosts a 214 MLD sewage treatment plant operated by Metrowater which will be enhanced with post-treatment NBS processing and recharge. Metrowater has encouraged City of 1000 Tanks to pursue this recycling effort, as it will increase its water assets using existing infrastructure.