Work on restoring the Buckingham Canal and the associated drains of Adyar and Cooum is set to begin shortly. Civic agencies, such as the Greater Chennai Corporation and line agencies, have been asked to start work on various projects associated with the rejuvenation drive.
The work on waterfront development, channel improvement and solid waste management of the Buckingham Canal and 52 drains in the city will be taken up by the Corporation and the Public Works Department shortly. However, the work is expected to be delayed owing to the inadequate number of houses available with the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board.
According to estimates, large parcels of land are expected to be cleared along the canals in areas such as Mylapore, Chepauk, Royapuram, Tiruvottiyur, Sholinganallur and Velachery. For example, residents in areas such as Neelam Basha Dargah slum in Triplicane have informed civic officials about the availability of large parcels of land that have been encroached upon.
Hundreds of residents have constructed modern houses on land without patta in such areas. A few residents have also proposed the development of large waterfront projects to attract tourists to the area. But many residents have opposed the move.
Just 247 households were identified by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board in the Neelam Basha Dargah slum in Triplicane in the Chepauk Thiruvallikeni Assembly constituency. But residents said more houses had been constructed on government land, which were not yet covered in the restoration project.
Mitigating pollution
Following the administrative sanction for ₹1,281 crore this month for the project proposed by the member secretary of the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT), officials have planned a holistic approach for restoring the waterways for mitigating pollution, resettlement and rehabilitation.
At least ₹210 crore will be allocated for urban waterfront development along the Buckingham Canal. A budget of ₹192 crore will be allocated for waterfront development of drains of Buckingham Canal. Drains of the Adyar will get waterfront development at an estimated cost of ₹184 crore. Cooum drains will get waterfront development at an estimated cost of ₹29 crore.
Solid waste removal will be carried out at an estimated cost of ₹131 crore. Channel improvement is estimated at ₹542 crore.
At least 21,334 families along the Buckingham Canal and 52 drains will be resettled at an estimated cost of ₹3,339 crore. A total of 2,204 families have been identified along 21 drains of Buckingham Canal; 2,716 families along 23 drains of the Adyar; and 1,054 families along the eight drains of the Cooum.
After the TNSCB carries out an enumeration, the numbers are expected to increase.
The restoration of the Buckingham Canal will be completed in 2023.
Published - December 20, 2020 01:15 am IST
