The Kochi Corporation and the district administration are likely to resume efforts to resolve the city’s waterlogging issues before the monsoon sets in, even as councillors wonder if enough has been done to avoid another round of flooding.
The second phase of Operation Breakthrough, the district administration’s attempt to troubleshoot issues with the flow of water in the city’s canal and drain network, is set to begin in a week, said S. Shajahan, Deputy Collector and nodal officer of the project.
As many as 33 projects are part of the second phase, estimated to cost around ₹15 crore. Thirty-six projects were completed under Phase-1 at a cost of ₹10 crore. Though over 200 projects were initially listed under Operation Breakthrough, the remaining work comprised routine desilting and cleaning that the corporation would now do, Mr. Shajahan added. Changadampokku thodu, Karanakkodam thodu, and Thevara-Perandoor canal as well as the mouths of these canals would be desilted.
Operation Breakthrough by itself is unlikely to offer much succour, said M.G. Aristottil, councillor representing Kaloor South. “These issues cannot be resolved in a hurry. Smaller drains, some of which are choked, will have to be dealt with. That will be difficult to complete before the monsoon,” he observed.
Unless the small culverts that were blocked when Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) built its stations and pillars are rectified, waterlogging will not abate, said P.M. Harris, chairman, standing committee for works.
“KMRL has now agreed to take this up after a recent inspection. Culverts like the one from the KSEB compound in Kaloor to the Karanakkodam thodu and several others in Edappally and near the Changampuzha Park metro station were blocked and resulted in flooding last year. In one instance, an electricity distribution board has been fixed inside a drain, while in another, a metro pillar has been built over a drain, since the city has no drain master plan,” he said.
Before small drains can be desilted by the corporation, the slabs or interlocking tiles over them will have to be removed and man-holes will have to be provided by KMRL for water to flow into them, he added. All of this will have to be completed within a month.
“KMRL will take up the corporation’s requirements and construct cross culverts. Work will be taken up next week on providing man-holes along pavements as well,” said a KMRL official.
“The corporation will soon begin cleaning work on small drains. A squad comprising the corporation’s assistant engineers and overseers has been formed to gauge the situation when the rains begin and intervene. A couple of contractors will also be asked to remain on standby to resolve obstructions to the flow of water,” Mr. Harris said.
The corporation council had held an urgent meeting last week to discuss measures to minimise waterlogging.
