Chennai: The long-awaited Athikadavu-Avinashi scheme, which was initiated in 2019 and faced several challenges along the way, has finally been completed and inaugurated today.
The project, which began with an initial budget of ₹1,652 crore, has been completed at a total cost of ₹1,916 crore.
The scheme gained momentum after the demise of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in 2018, when then-Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami ordered its full-scale implementation. On February 28, 2019, under the leadership of Palaniswami, the foundation stone for the Athikadavu-Avinashi project was laid. In 2022, current Chief Minister M.K. Stalin personally inspected the progress of the project, further pushing it toward completion.
Despite being named after the village of Athikadavu, the scheme has no direct connection to this location. Athikadavu is a village near Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district, and the original plan involved pumping water from this village. However, concerns from farmers in the Erode district led to a change in the project’s design.
To address these concerns, the water intake point was relocated to a site near the Kalingarayan Anicut in Erode district. From there, water is pumped and directed westward, providing a vital resource to the surrounding agricultural regions
The successful completion of this scheme marks a significant achievement for the state government, which has faced numerous challenges in bringing this project to fruition. Chief Minister Stalin, who has been actively involved in monitoring the progress, expressed confidence that the scheme would be completed, regardless of the hurdles faced.
With the scheme now operational, it is expected to provide much-needed irrigation support to the drought-prone areas in the region, benefiting thousands of farmers and ensuring the sustainability of agricultural activities.