Buckingham Canal to get a fresh lease of life as PWD plans to restore the stretch

CHENNAI: After years of neglect, the Buckingham Canal may finally get a new lease of life as the state's public works department has come up with a proposal to the tune of Rs 2388 crores for the restoration of the 167-kilometer canal stretch, which runs from Pazhaverkadu to Marakkanam.

While the Buckingham Canal was once part of the national waterway network, years of pollution, encroachments and shallow depths has hampered its potential. According to a report in The New Indian Express, the proposal will engage in desilting and dredging the canal to a depth of one and a half to three meters across its entire length, with a width of forty meters. In an effort to come up with a detailed project report for the restoration, the state government has sought an additional Rs 20 crores from the central government.

Following a recent appeal by the state’s Industries Minister T R B Raaja to the Union Shipping Minister to approve Tamil Nadu's proposal for designating the canal as an inland waterway, the revival of the canal is seen as a significant step toward reducing traffic congestion. Apart from this, the move is also expected to benefit local commerce and improve climate-adaptation.

Similarly, after seeing the success of Kochi's water metro, Chennai is seriously considering the launch of a water metro service to connect Kovalam and Napier Bridge along a 53 kilometer route.

Officials said that the foremost step is to restore and desilt the Buckingham Canal between Napier Bridge and Kovalam. The introduction of a water metro would ensure smoother water flow which would help in flood mitigation and the revitalized canal could attract tourists.

The state's proposals for national waterways also include other significant stretches from Mahabalipuram to Yediyur Bridge, sections of the Cooum River near Marina Beach and the area linking Pulicat Lake and Ennore Port.