The rehabilitation programme for those evicted from the banks of canals in the city is taking a definite shape with a holding identified for housing them.
Bhavanam Foundation Kerala, a public sector company formed for developing infrastructure and services for labourers, and low-wage employees, has sought permission from the government for purchasing the holding at Kakkanad for the first phase of rehabilitation.
The proposal is to construct multiple dwelling units of at least 600 sq ft area each for the evictees, officials of Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) said.
KSINC had proposed an integrated urban regeneration and water transport project for Kochi covering Edappally and Thevara-Perandoor canals, Chilavannoor, Thevara and Market canals.
It was proposed to develop these canals to facilitate inland navigation, flood and mosquito control, and create public recreation facilities spending around ₹1,006 crore.
The inland navigation project will also be linked to the proposed Water Metro project.
The State government had recently appointed Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) as the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for implementing the project. The funds for setting up the facilities are expected to be sourced from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).
It is estimated that around 1,000 families may have to be evicted from the banks of the canals and provided accommodation. Around 3,500 persons will thus have to be relocated to housing units.
Land acquisition and rehabilitation projects will have to be undertaken in the first phase, officials said.
Incidentally, land acquisition and compensation are the costliest components in the project, and it has been estimated that they will require ₹720 crore.
Detailed surveys of the canals will have to be undertaken, and their boundaries have to be marked. Cleaning of the canals and erecting protective fences to curb encroachments have also been marked to be undertaken in the first phase. It has also been proposed to develop the canals with 20-metre fairway, and walkways or roads will be developed on both sides of the canals, according to a concept note.
