CHENNAI: The state government is set to restore the Buckingham Canal, a major waterway running through Chennai, with plans to develop a blueprint for the canal’s waterfront and use recovered land beyond the canal boundaries for infrastructure development, beautification, and recreational purposes. The restoration project will be led by several departments, including the water resources department (WRD), revenue department, Greater Chennai Corporation, forest department, and tourism department.
The restoration will be taken up after a directive from the Madras High Court in September 2022 to the state government to restore the lake to its former glory within six months. In the first phase, a 2.7-km stretch starting from the mouth of the Cooum river to RK Salai Bridge will be taken up for restoration. However, the project may require the eviction of over 1,200 families who have encroached upon the canal’s boundaries. The government plans to rehabilitate these families in tenements constructed by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board.
The restoration of the canal is not without challenges, particularly in terms of funding and the utilities of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), which pass along the canal. Officials are exploring funding options, including public-private partnerships and international lending agencies. The pillars of the MRTS will remain in the canal, but other structures could be under the scanner. The focus of the restoration project will be to fix the boundary and strengthen the bunds.
The WRD is studying several successful restoration projects in other states, such as the Dravyavathi River Restoration Project in Rajasthan, the Restoration of Taladanda Main Canal in Odisha, and the Sabarmati River Front Development in Gujarat. The department plans to implement Cementitious Concrete Geosynthetic Lining Mats technology to strengthen the canal bund in the central Buckingham canal. Additionally, proposals to plug sewage outfalls in the canal area are also under consideration, although this has been a challenge in the past.
Stormwater drains with outfalls in the proposed project area will be allowed to drain during the rainy season, but during the dry season, they will be diverted to sewage treatment plants run by the metro water. This move comes after a proposal to create an inland waterway in the Buckingham Canal was abandoned in 2016 by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). The IWAI concluded that the cost required for dismantling existing structures, constructing replacement structures, developing waterways, and constructing terminals did not match the potential cargo in the stretch and was therefore not financially viable. The project was also complicated by the MRTS pillars on the canal and the construction of MRTS stations.
The restoration of the Buckingham Canal could bring about significant changes in the area, both for residents and tourists. The restoration project could bring more recreational opportunities to the area, as well as provide new infrastructure development, such as shops, restaurants, and housing. Additionally, the restoration project could have a positive impact on the environment by improving the quality of the water and the surrounding ecosystem. The restoration project is still in the planning stage, and officials are working to ensure that the restoration project will be a success and benefit all parties involved.