COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has started construction of a stormwater channel on Tiruchy Road from Valankulam at Sungam junction up to the Sanganoor canal to prevent inundation. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 9 crore.
Former electricity minister V Senthil Balaji laid the foundation stone for the work in March but was delayed due to pending clearance from National Highways (NH) department to execute the work on NH 181, popularly called the Tiruchy Road.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Prathap said, "We've received oral clearance from NH following which the work order was issued. The channel will be constructed for about 2 km on the Tiruchy Road and completed in six months."
Sources in the engineering section of the CCMC said the channel starts from Valankulam and passes through Puliyakulam, Gandhi Nagar, Masala Layout, Ammankulam and drains into Sanganoor Canal on the Tiruchy Road.
"Once the channel is established, there are high chances for over 2,000 families residing at the Masala Layout to get recognised as notified slums. With this, they will get houses from the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board. Also, after establishment, we shall be able to release water from the Valankulam three days prior to the heavy rainfall base on the weather forecast. The water from Valankulam will reach the Sanganoor canal and will finally be drained in the Noyyal River near the Singanallur Railway gate," added the sources.