Srivaikuntam Barrage

Srivaikuntam Barrage, also known as Srivaikuntam Anicut, is an irrigation barrage across the Thamirabarani River at Srivaikuntam in Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu. Built as part of the Thamirabarani anicut system, it regulates river flow for agriculture in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts. The site offers views of the river, barrage structure, and surrounding agricultural landscape and is visited for sightseeing and photography.

Visitors can expect a functional river barrage structure across the wide Thamirabarani River with sluice gates, embankments and calm upstream waters. The surroundings are flat agricultural lands, palm trees and village settlements. There is no formal tourist complex; visitors can view the barrage from the road bridge and riverbanks, observe water flow especially when shutters are open, and see local farming activity and birdlife along the river.

Srivaikuntam Anicut is part of the Thamirabarani anicut system developed in the 19th century during British administration to improve irrigation in the Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi region. It was constructed to divert and regulate Thamirabarani waters for extensive canal irrigation, supporting paddy cultivation. The barrage has been maintained and modernized by the Water Resources Department of Tamil Nadu.

The barrage is culturally significant for its role in sustaining agriculture and rural livelihoods along the Thamirabarani River, often referred to as the lifeline of southern Tamil Nadu. The river itself holds religious importance and the nearby Srivaikuntanathan Perumal Temple, one of the Nava Tirupathi temples, adds to the cultural context of the area.