Sanganur Canal, an eyesore in the city thus far, may turn into a natural drain carrying only rainwater and supporting motorable roads on both sides, if the Central and State governments approve of the Coimbatore Corporation’s ₹ 475-crore proposal.
The Corporation has proposed dredging and cleaning the 11.50-km stretch of the canal from Mettupalayam Road to Singanallur tank, stopping inflow of drains and constructing roads on both the sides.
As part of the proposal, the civic body has also proposed rehabilitating residents of 3,000 houses and demolishing their houses that are now encroaching upon the canal.
The Corporation plans to spend ₹ 250 crore towards relocation and rehabilitation of the residents of the 3,000 houses and the rest for the canal’s development, say officials working on the canal project.
The canal development work encompasses dredging the entire 11.50- km stretch, and cleaning and restoring its original width. The canal’s width, as per Revenue Department record, varies from 12 m to 120 m, but in reality it is narrow because of the encroachments, the officials say.
After removing the encroachments and cleaning the canal, the Corporation proposes to construct gabion structures in a few stretches, concrete wall in a few stretches and stone pitch at others.
As for the roads, the officials say, the Corporation has proposed two stretches along the two banks. The roads will be seven-metre-wide each and also have walkers’ path and bicycling track. As and when the Corporation develops the roads, it will provide the city’s residents an alternative to move between Mettupalayam Road and Tiruchi Road, connecting Sathyamangalam Road and Avinashi Road.
Regarding the rehabilitation and resettlement of the residents, the Corporation says it is necessary to resettle the residents because they occupy over 40 ha of the canal’s catchment and water course.
The civic body has identified each of the 3,000 families and marked their houses as well. It is working with the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board to construct tenements for the residents.
The Board engineers say they are in talks with the Tamil Nadu Housing Board for a land they have identified along Mettupalayam Road. The Board zeroed in on the location because it will be closer to their current place and along the arterial road.
As part of the rehabilitation and resettlement proposal, the Corporation has already demolished a few houses – 80 in Periyar Nagar and 54 on Indian Roller Mill Lane – and provided them tenements at its Keeranatham Gandhi Nagar project, the Board engineers say.
But residents living along the canal are apprehensive about the resettlement plan. They say that they want the Corporation to clean and dredge the canal and have a rethink on moving them to another place, for they have lived there for over 40 years and built their livelihood around the area.
Anna Nagar resident N. Rajeswari says if the Corporation were relocate her family, she will lose her job. This is true of the other 170-odd residents as well.
The Board officials say that the organisation works on providing alternative employment or training to the relocated residents and they have nothing to be apprehensive about.
