Retaining Wall @ Canal Near Karuparayan Temple
The canal near Karuparayan Temple on the city’s western border along which a retaining wall is to be built. The Coimbatore Corporation has begun works to construct a 100-ft-long and 30-ft-high retaining wall along a canal near the Karuparayan Temple on the city’s western border. The canal brings rainwater from Kanuvai, Vadavalli and some areas near Marudamalai to the Muthannankulam off Thadagam Road in the city. But, slums have come up along the canal and a large amount of sewage is discharged into it.While the Corporation says it has made efforts to have the slums removed, it is now concentrating on building the wall in order to prevent any tragedy and abuse of the canal. Silt and debris are being removed from the canal to enable flow of rainwater.
As the slums remain, there is the risk of children falling into the canal, Mayor R. Venkatachalam points out. People are dumping debris into the canal. When a lot of debris is dumped, people level it and slums come up at these areas, he says. The Corporation removed silt from the canal to enable smooth flow of rainwater. But, unauthorised dumping of debris has choked the canal again. “The problem of soil erosion has also been brought to our attention. The wall will help in preventing this also,” he says. “We plan to build a wall only on one side now at Rs. 25 lakh. The one on the other side will be built in the next phase.”
The Mayor says the civic body is planning retaining walls in other areas of the city where residential colonies face the threat of flooding from canals during monsoon. “We have sanctioned Rs.25 lakh for a retaining wall along the Sanganur Canal at Sowripalayam. A wall built at another spot along the canal has prevented the flooding of areas near Udayampalayam Road,” he says.These areas (near the erstwhile Iyer Hospital) had remained inundated for close to 20 days following a breach in the canal during heavy rain in November-December 2006. A similar effort is to be taken up at Rs.10 lakh to prevent flooding at the underpass near the Somasundara Mill.
