Kollankulam beautification project set to take off
Tiruchi Corporation will soon launch work on converting Kollankulam, a major waterbody situated between Edamalaipattipudur and Karumandapam in the city, into a recreation spot, following a court clearance.
The waterbody is spread over 55 acres, and the beautification project would cover 45.48 acres. The plan for rejuvenating the lake and developing it into an entertainment spot at a cost of ₹24.30 crore under the Capital Grant Fund 2022-23 was mooted in August 2023 following demands from residents. The civic body began preliminary work in March 2024. However, the project hit a roadblock as it faced legal hurdles.
A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by a resident in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court in May 2024, seeking an interim injunction claiming the beautification work would lead to encroachment of a portion of the tank and affect its storage capacity.
Following this, the Corporation was directed to get a non-objection certificate (NOC) from the Water Resources Department to proceed further. 'We have obtained an NOC and have received the court order vacating the interim injunction. The legal issue has been resolved, and the beautification work will commence within a week,' said V. Saravanan, Corporation Commissioner.
Weeds in the tank bunds will be removed, and the bunds will be strengthened and levelled to provide a walking track for the residents. The civic body expects to complete work on the waterbody within this year.
Officials said one of the major objectives of the restoration project was to safeguard the waterbody from encroachments, and the project would improve the water storage capacity of the tank as the bunds would be strengthened.
The redevelopment plan would focus on converting the tank into an ideal recreation spot for residents with walking and bicycle tracks, a viewpoint, an open-air theatre, a gym, a play area for children, vintage lamps, and tree plantations around the tank bunds to create an ozone-friendly environment. A pavement with a fence would be constructed around the tank to ensure the safety of visitors.
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