Encroachments Block Launch of Laser Show | News from Trichy

Cheated: Almost a year after installing a laser light and sound show system in Rock fortit is Teppakulam tank, the commissioning of the ₹8crore edutainment entertainment project is expected to be further delayed. Indeed, the encroachments around the reservoir bunds hinder the visibility of the proposed spectacle which will tell the story of the city. The local body will only start the installation after clearing the hundreds of encroachments, which is unlikely any time soon.
Proposed in 2019 under the Heritage Tourism Development Project under the Smart Cities Mission, the 5-acre Teppakulam Reservoir was fitted with laser lights and a floating control room in August 2019. ‘last year. A trial was carried out and minor pending civil works were completed in the following weeks, but the laser show has yet to see the light of day.
The Trichy Society said that visitors will have the opportunity to view the show and listen to the audio from the ghats adjoining Vanapattarai Street. Since it will be projected from the middle of the reservoir, the event will also be able to be viewed by spectators around the reservoir bunds, thus broadening the reach of the program. However, the civic body claimed after an assessment that the encroachments adjacent to the fences on all four sides of the tank would render the laser show ineffective.
“Leaving aside the commissioning of the laser light show, the Trichy society and the police must evict encroachments around Teppakulam to protect the historic reservoir from lingering pollution,” N Ramakrishnan, Founding Secretary, MGR Nalpani Mandram, said. Hundreds of fish have died in the tank due to plastic pollution. While crowding out encroachments is inevitable to protect the tank and command the laser show, the Trichy company drags its feet on it.