Buckingham canal and its glory

The other day, we were going for a long drive and had to cross the bridge on the Buckingham canal to go towards the East Coast Road in Chennai.  My granddad became very sad after seeing the state of the Buckingham canal, as it was completely filled with water hyacinth, which mommy grows in a pot at home. When I asked him, why he is looking very sad, he told me that he would tell this during our daily story time.

Picture Courtsey: New Indian Express

So here I am waiting eagerly for the story time and my grand dad got an album from his suitcase and started showing me the photos of his college days, with out starting the story. I became very impatient and finally he showed me a photo of the same Buckingham canal at Vijayawada, and he told all the stories of how he used to travel in boats those days from Vijayawada to meet my granny in Chennai and the fun he had during that travel.

Picture Credit: Pexels

How wonderful it must have been to travel for a day in water to go to a new place? But now this canal seems to be closed for the traffic, as most of the places its been closed. How I wish it would be still operational, so that even I can travel in those boats just like my granddad and enjoy the sun, breeze and moonlight. Now all I get is to travel in a train, and I miss out all the natural beauty.

Any idea, how this canal can be restored to it’s glory back? Please tell me what needs to be done for the same?