Chennai: The water resources department (WRD) is set to begin evicting more than 600 families living along the Adyar riverbank in Anakaputhurnext week, nearly a year after notices were first issued.Despite constructing permanent structures illegally on the river’s edge, the squatters had resisted eviction for months.The delay was further prolonged by legal challenges in the Madras high court, which have now been resolved. A senior WRD engineer confirmed that after prolonged negotiations, the department is ready to proceed.The families will be resettled in tenements built by theTamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board(TNUHDB) across three locations—Perumbakkam, Thailavaram near Perungalathur, and Keerappakkam—with 200 housing units in each.The encroachments in Anakaputhur include settlements in Thai Moogambigai Nagar, Quaid-e-Millath Nagar, Shanthi Colony, and MGR Nagar. With this round of evictions, WRD officials claim that nearly 75% of encroachments along the Adyar river have now been cleared.Four more major settlements remain—Mallippoo Nagar in Adyar, Annai Sathya Nagar on Greenways Road, Saidapet, and the remainder of Anakaputhur.Mallippoo Nagar is the largest, withmore than 1,200 families, followed by Saidapet with more than 500. The other two areas have a few hundred residents each.While theAdyar river restoration projectwas launched, WRD had identified 9,539 families for resettlement. Officials said the availability of new tenements and recent consent from residents have paved the way for smoother rehabilitation this time. “The rehabilitation drive is essential to prevent environmental degradation and protect lives,” the senior engineer said.Additionally, as part of the project, desilting along 18 km and fencing across key stretches in Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu has been completed.Parks, plantations, bridge beautification, and modular STPs are in place, with more than 8,797 tonnes of solid waste cleared, according to data submitted before the National Green Tribunal.