PWD readies Rs 2,388-crore plan to revive 167-km Buckingham Canal

CHENNAI: The public works department (PWD) has drawn up a preliminary estimate of Rs 2,388 crore to restore the Buckingham Canal, stretching 167km from Pazhaverkadu in Tiruvallur district to Marakkanam in Villupuram. The proposal includes desilting and dredging of the canal to a depth of 1.50m to 3m, for the length of 167km and an average width of 40m. Officials also said the government has requested an additional Rs 20 crore from the central government to fund a detailed project report (DPR) for the canals revival. The move follows Industries Minister T R B Rajaas appeal to Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during Indian Maritime Universitys convocation event last week, to clear Tamil Nadus proposal for the inland waterway. Reviving the canal is seen as key to easing congestion, spurring local commerce and bolstering climate-adaptation measures along the coast. This comes as Chennai is exploring the possibility of a water metro system, drawing inspiration from Kochis pioneering model, as part of a broader push to diversify urban transport options and help boost the citys tourism credentials. The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) had recommended a water-based transit corridor connecting East Coast Road with Napier Bridge, part of the citys Comprehensive Mobility Plan, which outlines long-term solutions to ease congestion and shift commuters towards low-emission alternatives. The vision is to create a 53-km stretch running through Chennais waterways that could eventually host electric or hybrid ferries. Sources indicated that the National Waterway proposal from TN, part of a country-wide initiative to improve its inland water transport network, include Mahabalipuram to Yediyur Bridge, Cooum River near Marina Beach, and Pulicat Lake and Ennore Port to ETPS. The Buckingham Canal had been a component of the National Waterway 4, but chronic pollution, encroachment and shallow channels have stymied progress. Shipping secretary T K Ramachandran, speaking to reporters at the Indian Maritime Universitys convocation event, had also acknowledged the hurdles but said they could be resolved. Factfile The Buckingham Canal is categorised as north, central and south, running for a length of 157.69km The stretch between Pulicat Lake to Cooum River Confluence Point, around 58km, is classified as North Buckingham Canal The 7.2-km stretch between the confluence of Cooum River and confluence of Adyar River is Central Buckingham Canal The stretch between Adyar River and Marakannam, around 102km, is classified as South Buckingham Canal The storm water drains of the Greater Chennai Corporation discharge the runoff in Central Buckingham Canal