2. Vallankulam Lake
A view of Vallankulam lake from the walking paths that go around the lake’s perimeter.
The last jet-ski of the evening at the lake. Many of the restored lakes provide various recreational activities such as boating and other watersports.
Teja
"I am a pretty regular to this lake...like weekly once. In the evenings. I have been here in the mornings also, but more often so in the evenings. One thing is it is an open space. We live in the hostel that is provided by our college here, and the rooms we live in are shared between three to four people. Not often do you get time to spend a little time by yourself, if you want to think over something or maybe you just want to, you know, if you’re feeling too overwhelmed, if you don’t want to talk to anybody you just want to be by yourself. That’s a little difficult in the rooms when you’re sharing with 4 or 5 people. So it really helps to come out here... you can be invisible but in a huge space. Yeah it’s nice, it’s nice to be here. There has been a lot of developments on the other side. A lot of lights and you know pavements to walk in the last three years, they have expanded it in the last three years. The seating area is also new. They had a walk park like this one earlier, but they built up more around the seating areas, more benches, more lights, and they are working on that but it’s not fully open for the public yet. Yeah, but they are working on it, to make it a complete circle. Maybe one day before when the lake was new, it was more beautiful. But now the places are not being properly maintained...maintenance is a problem. Recently, some of the stalls have been opened. But there is only one functioning tea shop for the entire lake...the rest is construction."
An example of the seating areas provided as part of the lake park developments. They were very popular with visitors, especially on evenings and weekends.
Rhea and Kishore
"We found the place on Google Maps on the main highway, and it looked like a nice place. The public space seems much better than the town we’re from, Trichy. They come to use this lake as a fishing spot. The bridge is nice, there are lots of seats, we like that. There are no lakes where we’re from, just the Kallanai Dam. That’s a good spot ,it attracts tourists. We are from the Cauvery delta, Trichy, Thanjavur...
This public space is very good, very nice. Architecture is very important. In Trichy, there’s no water except the river. We like the lighting, the seating area. I studied here, 5 years ago. Then, there was no walking path, no lights, just people coming fishing. It was just the road. There’s a boating area now, and a play area. In the night times sometimes there’s problems. People come, cause problems, but it's safe. There’s security."
A loose tile on the walking path. We noted a few similar problems in path maintenance across the restored lakes we visited.
Pradeep
"The size of the lake has reduced because the water levels are higher, but it used to be a seasonal tank until they blocked it. Now the water is a bit stale. Because there are so many people who can’t get access to water, is it fair that it’s a water feature? The government should have made a rule about not letting sewage in, but a lot of the houses along the edge let sewage in. They should have put a water treatment plant in it. There’s lots of birds though...
The lake paths are much more inclusive than Racecourse, the other smart city development. All sorts of people come here, lower class, middle, upper class.. everyone comes to the lakes. It’s impressive what they’ve done here.
The old British collectors office was here, the purple building, the lake used to touch it. I’ve seen the old photos. It never used to be so safe here. Even 11am in the morning, you’d think twice about coming here."
The walking path around the lake. The trees provide a great source of shade during the hot weather.
Siya and Kiara
"I’m a mother, when it’s school I can’t come, but in the summer when there’s no school I come with my kids. They don’t like to walk much, so we come here in the evenings to the playground, with the swings and the rest. I like the greenery, it’s peaceful. There’s space to walk freely with no interruption from vehicles. When I was pregnant... I went to racecourse, but I prefer this. In the evening there, people sell things, bother you, interrupt you. There’s less crowds here, especially in the morning. We like the scenery.
The development is good, but there could be better maintenance. If it was cleaner, more people would come. I would walk barefoot on the pebbles, massage my feet, but I don’t want to take my shoes off! People don’t know how to look after places, we have a duty as citizens. Some people want convenience and throw trash everywhere. There aren’t many dustbins, no drinking water, only one restroom in the corner. It’s inaccessible, people will need the rest room. People don’t take responsibility, it’s an individualistic mind set. They throw trash and think ‘why should I pick it up?
All this vegetation has grown since construction. Once they finished building, they didn’t maintain it. The water used to come up to this tree here. There was just a mud bund on the edge. They kept cattle here, cows. And it was a parking spot for auto-rickshaws. Because of the lake, the houses opposite, they get borewells. When there’s less water here, less borewells.
My house is here. This development is a positive thing. I can come here, it’s safe.. Now I come here when its light, more people. There should be more lights. Back in the day, there was some chain snatching. Now, less so. I haven’t heard of that happening, but we don’t always feel safe. We have to always be cautious. We don’t know what’s going to happen...as women, you know... there isn’t any street harassment, even if you dress awkwardly. Coimbatore means respect, men are more respectful here. It’s polite here, the way of language, Kongu Tamil, even the children use the polite form of language. Coimbatore, it’s Kongu culture, it’s more respectful. Whoever, a driver whatever, you talk with respect. I know if they’re from here or not from how they speak. Sometimes you feel you’re being watched, but I’ve never felt that since I moved here.
The lake, it used to be a lot of green. The water level is less now. Before, there was no sewage water, now there’s more. I’ve heard it used to flood in the monsoon, but I’m not sure. People fish here, but the fish aren’t popular from this lake because of the water quality. In Coimbatore, quality and respect are important. People would rather pay more for better quality. That happens with the fish.
If the government and citizens take responsibility, all the rainwater that comes here could be protected. If we work together, we can make the public space nice. No one does! Ahh, it’s not likely. When my son comes, he picks up the trash. It makes me worried. I don’t like him picking It up. Now in schools they’re starting to teach kids to be better."
Around the corner from the main walking path and lake park a small inlet with rubbish and water hyacinth. Water hyacinth is a bio-indicator of metal pollution.
