The Archaeological Survey of India, which inspected the aqueduct, informed the court that the structure was stable.
| Photo Credit: File photo.
The Department of Archaeology has asked the Water Resources Department (WRD) to not demolish the historic aqueduct of the Kalingarayan Canal. Instead, restoration work should be taken up based on the Department’s technical report.In a communication to the WRD’s Lower Bhavani Basin Division in Erode, the Department of Archaeology said it had received representations from the Kalingarayan Farmers and Workers Welfare Association demanding preservation of the 13th-century aqueduct, which the WRD had proposed to demolish and replace with a new structure.The Association urged the government to not demolish the aqueduct. It requested the Department of Archaeology to inspect the structure and recommend restoration measures. Following the representation, the Department obtained inspection reports from the Assistant Executive Engineer, Department of Archaeology, Chennai, and the Archaeological Officer, Erode.Based on these reports, the Department of Archaeology advised the WRD not to proceed with the demolition of the ancient structure. Instead, it asked the WRD to obtain the Department’s technical report and take up restoration work in accordance with its recommendations.The WRD had proposed demolishing the aqueduct, citing excessive seepage and inadequate vent size. However, the proposal was dropped in March this year following strong opposition from farmers and heritage activists. A petition was subsequently filed before the Madras High Court. The Archaeological Survey of India, which inspected the aqueduct, informed the court that the structure was structurally stable. Published - July 09, 2026 06:37 pm IST
