Misplaced drainage works worth ₹44.7 lakh in Coimbatore’s Gudalur leave residents at risk

Coimbatore, 10 August 2026

Residents allege hurried, ill-planned drainage works; one canal buried within days

The Gudalur municipality in Coimbatore district has come under fire after drainage canals constructed in two localities were found to be non-functional, with officials having spent an estimated ₹44.70 lakh on a canal at Samichettipalayam that was subsequently buried with concrete within days, residents and a local news visit reported. Local inhabitants said the work was rushed and executed without accurate measurements or a defined outlet, resulting in stagnation of sewage and the abandonment of newly constructed drains. The situation affects Samichettipalayam East Street (Ward 13) and Vijayalakshmi Nagar (Ward 12), where a separate canal intended to serve about 60 houses has been left without an outlet and remains unused. R Govindhasamy, a resident, described the sequence of events as hurried and politically timed. He said the roadside canals were proposed before Assembly elections but work was delayed until polling activity concluded. When construction resumed, he alleged, there was no proper planning over how wastewater would be diverted, forcing authorities to stop or undo the works.

“Before the elections, they had planned to build roadside drainage canals along the roads to collect and carry away wastewater from houses at Vijayalakshmi Nagar. The work did not happen because the Assembly elections began. As soon as the elections were over, they started the work in a hurry without any planning,”

Officials from the municipality have not been quoted in the original report, but the problems were confirmed by The New Indian Express during a visit, which noted that the canal at Samichettipalayam was closed with concrete shortly after completion and that the Vijayalakshmi Nagar drain lacked an outlet.

Immediate hazards and longer-term concerns

Residents warned of acute public-health and property risks, particularly during the monsoon. According to those affected:

• Sewage from houses is pooling towards a nearby park site, raising the risk of overflow and inundation of surrounding homes in heavy rains.
• Stagnant wastewater can lead to foul smell, vector breeding and a rise in waterborne diseases.
• Large sums of public funds were spent on works that are non-functional, prompting calls for accountability.

Those on the ground are demanding a detailed inquiry into the project, including clarification on the cost, project design, approvals and the sequence of decisions that led to the canal being buried.

Location	Ward	Beneficiaries/Notes	Expenditure / Status
Samichettipalayam East Street	13	Local drainage canal	₹44.70 lakh; canal buried with concrete within a week
Vijayalakshmi Nagar	12	Canal intended for ~60 houses; lacks outlet	Separate funding; left non-functional

Calls for probe and corrective action

Residents said they have raised the issue with the government and demanded a thorough inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds. They want immediate steps to create a functioning outlet for wastewater so that houses do not face inundation during the rainy season and to prevent health hazards arising from stagnation. Local civic planning experts typically advise that drainage projects should be executed only after site surveys, hydraulic calculations and confirmed outlets are in place. The absence of such planning, residents say, indicates administrative lapses that need rectification. The matter is likely to attract attention from district administration and civic authorities, given the financial outlay and the potential for public-health impact. At present, information on any formal investigation or remedial plan by the municipality has not been released in the original report. Residents have urged rapid intervention to either reopen or reconstruct the drains with proper measurements and outlet provision, and to ensure transparency over the expenditure on the works.