CHENNAI: In a significant development, the state government has decided to officially abandon the proposed restoration projects on Buckingham Canal (B-Canal) in the Chepauk-Triplicane and Mylapore Assembly constituencies. A senior Water Resources Department (WRD) official confirmed the decision, citing lack of funds as the reason for the project’s cancellation.
With the WRD facing challenges in maintaining even several smaller waterbodies across the state, officials now suggest that the responsibility for the Buckingham Canal may be handed over to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
During a recent Assembly session, WRD Minister Duraimurugan also discussed the possibility of transferring waterbodies that no longer serve irrigation purposes to local civic bodies for better upkeep. Following this, the Virugambakkam and Otteri Nullah canals were handed over to the GCC for maintenance a couple of weeks ago. “In a similar move, the Buckingham Canal may also be handed over to the GCC,” said a WRD official.
In September 2022, the Madras High Court ordered the demarcation and restoration of the Buckingham Canal. The WRD submitted a detailed project report to the state government in October last year for a large-scale restoration project. The department was expected to invest Rs 980 crore for the project, and the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust Rs 716.5 crore. However, it did not take off due to fund crunch.
The project aimed to revitalise a 7.2 km stretch of the canal, extending from the northern to southern portions within the two constituencies. “In the first phase, we had planned to clear about 3,800 tenements along this stretch,” a WRD official told TNIE. The official added that fully restoring the canal would require clearing around 18,000 encroachments along its length, a major task that also necessitates relocation arrangements for affected residents.
The proposed work included sludge removal, building flood protection walls, and various other civil upgrades, outlined in a detailed project report submitted to the government in 2022, with an estimated budget of Rs 980 crore. “Despite receiving a government order approving the project, lack of funds has led to its cancellation,” the official stated.