To arrest seawater intrusion at Besant Nagar, the Groundwater circle of the Public Works Department has proposed a pilot project to divert rainwater from Taramani and its neighbouring places to recharge the Besant Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur areas. The project was approved by the State-level steering committee under the chairmanship of PWD secretary and has been sent to the Ministry of Water Resources for approval. A PWD official said groundwater in Besant Nagar had been affected due to intrusion of seawater up to 500 metres. On the other hand, Taramani was a clay-bedded area that allowed only less water infiltration. The proposed project would serve two purposes