Current affairs · September 2026

Chief Minister reviews the Koovam river restoration project

22 Sept 2026 · By the PrepMatic team · 2 min read

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay held a review meeting at the Secretariat on 22 September 2026 on the Koovam river restoration project. The state announced the project in its 2026-27 financial statement, which gave priority to restoring Chennai's rivers, and the meeting looked at preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

What was decided

According to the release, the Chief Minister reviewed:

• progress on the DPR, which aims to bring the Koovam back to its natural state and ensure lasting ecological restoration;
• the facilities planned under the project and the next steps;
• the work of calling global tenders so that the DPR meets international technical standards.

As a first step, a stretch of about 3 km was selected for a concept plan and a demonstration project. The ideas under study there include walking and cycling tracks, riverbank walkways, viewing decks, green areas, community facilities and nature-based ecological improvements. The Chief Minister told officials to take up the restoration in phases, using an integrated and sustainable approach, to create better public spaces along Chennai's rivers.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary, senior officials of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply, Finance and Water Resources departments, and the member secretary of the Chennai river restoration body.

Why it matters for TNPSC

Rivers and urban environment fall under Unit II, Geography, and project planning under Unit V, Development Administration in Tamil Nadu. Remember that a DPR is the detailed plan that comes after a feasibility study, and that it normally precedes tendering for construction. The geography guide covers the rivers of Tamil Nadu.

Practice questions

Question 1. What length of the Koovam did the meeting select for a concept plan and demonstration project?

• A. 1 km
• B. 3 km
• C. 10 km
• D. 25 km

Question 2. Which of these rivers flows through Chennai city?

• A. Vaigai
• B. Bhavani
• C. Koovam (Cooum)
• D. Thamirabarani

Answers

1. B. The release says a 3 km stretch was chosen first.
2. C. The Koovam, also spelt Cooum, flows through Chennai; the Vaigai, Bhavani and Thamirabarani flow elsewhere in the state.

Source

• Government of Tamil Nadu, Press Release No. 715, 22 September 2026 (Tamil)

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