Coimbatore Corporation drops Sanganoor Canal revamp over high cost
The Coimbatore Corporation has halted the expansion of the Sanganoor Canal rejuvenation project due to prohibitive costs associated with relocating families living along the canal. Officials stated that the project is currently unfeasible without providing alternative housing for the 1,700 affected families.
Why it matters
Illustrates the conflict between urban infrastructure development and the social challenges of displacement and resettlement.
The Coimbatore Corporation has dropped plans to extend the Sanganoor Canal rejuvenation project, citing high cost of removing encroachments and relocating affected families. As many as 1,700 encroachments involving families living along the canal have been identified.
The 11-km canal runs from Kanuvai to Trichy Road. The rejuvenation project, taken up for the Mettupalayam Road–Trichy Road stretch, was divided into four packages, with the first covering about 2.5 km from Mettupalayam Road to the Rathinapuri bridge. The remaining three packages cover the stretches from the Rathinapuri bridge to Sathyamangalam Road, Sathyamangalam Road to Avinashi Road, and Avinashi Road to Trichy Road.
The project envisaged restoring the canal to its full width, removing encroachments and forming roads along both banks. The first package, estimated at ₹49 crore, was taken up in 2021. Retaining walls have been constructed and road works completed along about 2 km.
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