The proposed development aims to transform the riverfront into an accessible public space featuring pedestrian pathways, cycling facilities, recreational areas, cultural spaces and public amenities.
The project covers three stretches: a 500 m section from Napier Bridge to the Cooum River mouth, a 1.2 km stretch from Swami Sivananda Salai to Periyar Bridge, and a 2 km stretch from Link Road to Dams Road.
The appointed consultant will assess the condition of river embankments and retaining structures, conduct topographical surveys and geotechnical investigations, and identify sources of pollution. The study will also examine encroachments, bank erosion and critical areas requiring intervention.
A key component of the DPR will be identifying measures to prevent sewage and other wastewater from entering the river, taking into account upstream and downstream conditions. The consultant will also propose lighting, surveillance, public safety measures and climate-resilient features, including flood-risk assessments and nature-based solutions. User demand and expected footfall across all three stretches will also be assessed.
Plantation works are excluded from the DPR, as these will be undertaken by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). The civic body has already floated separate tenders worth nearly Rs 50 lakh for plantation and maintenance along the Napier Bridge and Swami Sivananda Salai stretches.
The consultant will prepare a phased implementation strategy, identify the necessary statutory clearances, assess land use and develop an operation and maintenance plan. The DPR must be completed within 30 days of the contract award.
Separately, animal activists have urged the GCC to relocate cattle roaming along several sections of the Cooum River, including Spur Tank Road, to the corporation's modern cattle shed. They have questioned why cattle continue to be kept along the river despite the availability of a dedicated facility.
The GCC charges owners Rs 10 per day for each animal housed at the facility, a fee that reportedly discourages some owners from using it.
