Picnic spot to come up along Buckingham Canal

Two-km strip of land near Tidel Park to be landscaped

A view of the Buckingham Canal as it flows along the Rajiv Gandhi Salai.

Work on developing a picnic spot along the Buckingham Canal, near the Tidel Park, will begin next month.

The picnic spot, to be developed on a 2-km strip of land measuring around 25 acres, is expected to get modern play equipment and landscaped space for cultural events, attracting a children.

The project was announced by the government last year. A meeting of civic officials was held on Friday after preparation of the detailed project report.

“The picnic spot will have a food area. People will be permitted to bring their own food. Shops will not be permitted in the area,” said an official.

The eastern side of the canal will get a dense forest of indigenous trees, said the official. Work is expected to be completed in a year. “The picnic spot will have various features for the safety of children. Brainstorming sessions with engineers have been held to ensure that the space is safe for children and senior citizens,” said the official.

The space will have features that differentiate it from the pedestrian plaza in T. Nagar. “The space will celebrate biodiversity. Its landscaping will be unique, restoring the canal to its original condition,” he said.

Canal clean-up

Currently, the space for cultural events on the pedestrian plaza in T. Nagar has not been used for events, owing to congestion in the area. This area is expected to host more events relating to culture, attracting tourists.

All sewage outfalls on the stretch of the canal will be plugged shortly. Engineers are exploring options to prevent pollution of the canal before resettling residents along it. “Water in the canal should be clean after the launch of the project. Only then will the project be successful,” said the official.