Madurai's neglected channels expose years of civic failure

Time of India

17-06-2025

Madurai: The hasty cover-up of garbage along Panthalkudi channel ahead of chief minister M K Stalin's roadshow may have briefly hidden the waste, but it laid bare a long-festering crisis.
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Madurai has over 16 open channels, most now clogged, neglected, and reduced to garbage dumps. Ancient waterways like the Kiruthumal have become sewage drains, choked by encroachments and civic apathy.
A turf war between the public works department (PWD) and the Madurai Corporation over desilting and maintenance has stalled action. Within the corporation, blame shifts between departments, with engineers faulting poor garbage collection for the rampant dumping.
As urban growth surges, these neglected water corridors — once flood lifelines — resurface in public attention only during VIP visits.
"Madurai naturally has a good drainage system that prevents flooding by channeling water to the Vaigai," said Tamil Dasan, convener of the Madurai Nature Cultural Forum. "But now, sewage flows through these channels year-round, showing how residential waste is being illegally diverted."
Civic activists argue desilting alone won't help unless sewage inflow and solid waste dumping are curbed. "Stormwater drains are being misused as open drainage lines," said activist M Raj Kumar, pointing to the Kiruthumal and Avaniyapuram channels. This was highlighted in the final report by the consultant recruited by the corporation, who studied the stormwater drain network in the city."
"The corporation is accountable for cleaning and protecting these channels," said M Rajan of the Vaigai Nathi Makkal Iyakkam.
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With the monsoon nearing, he stressed the need for urgent action.
AIADMK councillors have accused both the corporation and PWD of inaction. Opposition leader M Solai Raja called the desilting efforts an eyewash. "Jurisdiction isn't the issue — intention is. The corporation undertook channel concretisation under JNNURM between 2006 and 2014. We've been demanding special funds for desilting for three years," he said.
A fresh point of debate is the draft detailed project report (DPR) proposing concrete lining for channels — a move earlier criticised for blocking water percolation. "This will stop groundwater recharge," warned S S Bose of the Meenakshi Nagar Residents' Association. "We need sand beds, not concrete. And the corporation should take full control of the channels, as in Chennai."
Corporation commissioner Chitra Vijayan told TOI that desilting would be completed before the monsoon using general funds.
"At Panthalkudi, we are also repairing nearby sewerage networks using the same funds, and we will see a visible improvement in the appearance of the channel in the coming days," she said. The corporation has sought full maintenance rights from the PWD. Meanwhile, a senior PWD official said desilting of the Kiruthumal and Nilaiyur channels has begun at a cost of ₹15 crore.
**List of the 16 Main Channels:**
1. Kiruthumal Channel
2. Vandiyur Channel
3. Panthalkudi Channel
4. Avaniyapuram Channel
5. Nilaiyur Channel
6. Panthalkudi Channel
7. Melamadai Channel
8. Anupanadi Channel
9. Jaihindpuram main Channel
10. Sellur Channel
11. Madakulam Channel
12. Muthupatti Channel
13. Kosakulam Channel
14. Thandalai Channel
15. Panaiyur Channel
16. Chintamani Channel
**Total Estimated Length of all Channels in City limits:** Around 170 kilometres
**Key Issues:**
- Sewage mixing with rainwater channels
- Garbage dumping in open drains
- Confusion over maintenance responsibility
- Lack of regular desilting
- Encroachments blocking flow
- Stormwater drains used as sewage lines
**Suggested Solutions:**
- Hand over channels to Madurai Corporation
- Seal sewage inlets into channels
- Improve waste collection
- Avoid full concrete lining, retain sand beds
- Allocate dedicated desilting funds
- Raise public awareness on channel misuse
**Modern Interventions in Channels**
**Methodology Used in Corporations**
**IoT-Based Drain Monitoring**
Sensors and cameras track water levels and blockages in real-time.
Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru
**Drone and GIS Mapping**
Drones survey channels; GIS maps help plan cleaning and detect encroachments.
Coimbatore, Pune, Hyderabad
**Bioremediation**
Uses natural microbes to treat sewage in open drains.
Delhi, Pune, Ludhiana
**Smart Desilting Machines**
Robotic tools remove silt from drains without manual work
Chennai, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram (Even piloted in Madurai)
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