MADURAI: The Madurai corporation is set to undertake a major Vaigai riverfront development project at a cost of Rs 76 crore, under the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL) scheme, aimed at ecological improvement and public recreation.
The initiative proposes to develop the banks of the Vaigai along the 12-km stretch that flows through the city, with a focus on improving urban green spaces.
According to sources, administrative sanction for the project was accorded through Government Order issued by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department on February 4, 2026.
The works will be implemented under the TNUIFSL-KfW Tranche III programme at an estimated cost of Rs 76.16 crore.
Corporation officials said that the tender for the project is scheduled to be floated on March first week.
Officials added that key components of the project include the development of both banks of the Vaigai River, establishment of small parks for children at select locations, and creation of a major river-front park at Kochadai.
The Kochadai facility will feature a walking track, food court, dedicated yoga spaces, and an amphitheatre. In addition, a viewing gallery will be constructed to enable the public to witness the annual ‘Azhagar’ festival, during which the deity ceremonially enters the Vaigai River.
Meanwhile, activists have urged the civic body to ensure that ecological restoration remains central to the project. M Raja, president of the Vaigai Makkal Iyyakkam, welcomed the initiative but pointed out that extensive concrete embankments constructed earlier have limited scope for planting trees along the river.
He said that steps should be taken to establish eco-parks wherever feasible, undertake a comprehensive clean-up of the river, and prevent dumping of solid waste and discharge of sewage into the Vaigai. Such measures, he said, are essential for the river’s long-term rejuvenation rather than mere beautification.