Madurai
The efforts of Madurai Corporation in diverting rainwater from West Veli Street to fill the Koodal Azhagar Perumal Temple tank on Town Hall Road seem to have paid off. Following the recent rains, a small quantum of water is seen stagnating in the temple tank — which was earlier parched.
City Engineer S. Arasu said that the civic body has completed construction of a stormwater drain to bring stagnant rainwater from West Veli Street to the tank.
“Usually, the stretch between Periyar bus stand and railway station gets flooded whenever it rains. By constructing storm water drain, it was ensured that the rainwater was not stagnant on West Veli Street and water trickled into the tank,” he said.
The construction of stormwater drain was undertaken as part of restoration of the tank. Recently, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department razed down encroachments along the southern side of the temple tank. It has been more than 60 years since the tank brimmed with water.
Mr. Arasu said that the temple tank lost its old connection with the Vaigai and was dependent on rainwater to fill the tank. “The storage of water in the temple tank will help to increase the groundwater table in nearby areas,” he added.
The civic body has been working on the restoration of various temple tanks in the city. Earlier, the civic body constructed a link channel to divert water from the Vaigai to Mariamman Teppakulam through Panaiyur channel. Similarly, the storm water drains on Gokhale Road were cleaned to divert water to Prasanna Venkatachalapathy Temple tank at Tallakulam. “We are also planning to revive the tank of Immailum Nanmai Tharuvar temple,” said the City Engineer.