The plan to beautify and develop the Peerkankaranai lake has gone nowhere.
What’s it about? The plan to develop the Peerkankaranai lake as a recreational space with boating and other amenities hasn’t seen the light of day. Four years since it was proposed, the work is only half-done with no end in sight. The plan was for a play area for kids, walkways, and an Aavin parlour.
- Water hyacinths have taken over most of the lake’s surface. The water is polluted by sewage. More than a lakh people reside in Peerkankaranai, and that number is rising.
- The government allocated ₹10 crore for the project when work began in October 2018. Officials proposed removing 628 buildings built on encroached land.
Residents speak: Janani Kannan from Peerkankaranai said residents were hopeful for a beautiful park similar to the one in Chetpet. Now, they at least want officials to clean the lake so residents can get good water. Another resident John said they were promised the lake would look brand new within a year.