CHENNAI: The ambitious Cauvery-Gundar river interlinking project is likely to be implemented by the end of this year using state funds, according to an official source.
In the first phase, the link canal from Cauvery to South Vellar is to be taken up at a tentative cost of ₹7,677 crore. The project, which remained on paper for long, is about to be realised after the state government allotted ₹700 crore in the Budget for 2020-21 to carry out land acquisition and preliminary works.
"Funds are not an issue. Land acquisition is going on in Karur, Trichy and Pudukottai districts. The work will go on simultaneously," said the official.
As per the scheme, the link canal traverses through Karur, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar districts of Tamil Nadu passing through the river basins of Tirumanimuttar, Ponnanai (both sub-basins of Cauvery basin).
It is learnt that the first phase of interlinking of the river project will be implemented from next financial year through state funds. The state government has been seeking funds from the central government to implement the project.
The project would initially benefit Pudukkottai district as over 100 villages in 12 taluks are expected to gain from the scheme. The canal will bring water to 760 kanmois in the district and irrigate over 20,000 hectares of land.
Around 6,730 acres are required for the project which will be executed in three phases. In Pudukottai district, about 653.6 hectares of land in Viralimalai, Kulathur and Pudukkottai taluks will be acquired.
Direct benefits per annum from the link project due to irrigation, domestic and industrial water supplies are estimated to be more than Rs 1,000 crore, according to a report.