Chennai: In a first of its kind initiative, Chennai corporation has planned to adopt the maintenance of 17 major temple tanks that are with Hindu religious board in north Chennai.
Pebble walkway, bund strengthening, enhanced lighting and integrated storm water drain connectivity are to be part of the tank beautification project.
Tanks of Tiruvottriyur Vadivudai Amman temple, Mylapore Madhava Perumal temple, Ayanavaram Kasiviswanathar temple are prominent ones selected for the project, corporation sources said.
“Usually the corporation restricts the beautification projects to roads and Marina but now it has decided to maintain temple tanks neglected or lying outside, in the extended areas of Chennai,” said corporation commissioner D. Karthikeyan.
Under the smart city project detailed project reports are getting ready for the surveyed water bodies in north Chennai. Further the beautification project will be extended to another 35 water bodies in south Chennai for which survey is now underway, the top official added.
Each tank is likely to be beautified at a cost of '10 lakh and close to '2 crore will be spent on the north Chennai projects.
Based on detailed project report encroachments near the tanks will also be cleared and indigenous trees will be planted to strengthen the bund thereby also in increasing tree cover, another civic official said.
“Till 2005, Vadivudai temple was serene without any concrete structures and the two tanks located in the temple premises always had water, but due to heavy concretisation and failure to harvest rainwater the tanks are empty and now an eyesore for visitors,” said a source with the temple. “We are now glad that the favorite temple of former CM Jayalalithaa will be spruced up by city corporation,” he said.
“While temples get attention through annual consecretions, tanks are neglected and this is welcome move by the corporation”, said M.S. Lokesh, a regular visor to Ayanavaram Kasiviswanathar temple. Encroachment is also rampant around water bodies and this needs to be attended, he added.
