CHENNAI: The extensive renovation and modernisation of the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) Canal, a lifeline for farmers in Erode, Tiruppur, and Karur districts, has been fully completed, according to senior Water Resources Department (WRD) officials.
The 200-km-long canal, which irrigates over 2, 07, 000 acres of agricultural land, underwent a comprehensive overhaul aimed at strengthening its structure and improving water-carrying efficiency.
The works, which began in 2021, covered both the main canal and its distribution network.
A senior WRD official said that the project involved building head sluices and direct sluices at a total of 523 points — 114 along the main canal and 409 on the distribution canals.
“To prevent erosion and improve stability, protection walls and slope walls have been built along 35 km of the main canal and 116.52 km of the distribution canals, ” the official said.
In addition, 10 bridges along the main canal have been either newly-constructed or renovated.
The project also included the construction of 129 drainage culverts, nine aqueducts, three aqueduct-cum-outlets, a canal syphon, and a regulator.
On the distribution canals, regulators have been installed at 22 locations to control water flow.