The Thiruvottukuzhi pond, near Ambalanagar, Kuravankonam had, over the past few years, turned from a natural waterbody to a large waste dump.
After years of neglect, renovation work, spread over three years, by the city Corporation, has now managed to revive the pond.
The renovated pond, which has now been turned into a swimming pool, was opened to the public on Sunday evening.
“Many years ago, the pond was frequented by people daily. But over time, it fell into disuse and consequently, large amounts of waste had accumulated there. It was a daunting task to first clear it up before the maintenance work could start. The Corporation spent around Rs.60 lakh for the entire work,” said P. Syamkumar, Kuravankonam ward councillor. The work started in early 2012 and was completed in three phases.
Nominal fee
The renovated pond is 25 x 25 m in dimension. A tiled walkway of 2.5-m breadth has been built around it. LED streetlights, fencing, and gate have also been added. The public can make use of the swimming pool at a nominal fee.
“We will appoint a committee involving the local residents to take care of the pool. The Corporation has already spent a large amount on the pool and now the maintenance fund has to be found from the swimming pool fee,” Mr. Syamkumar said.
The Corporation had renovated the Konathukulangara pool at PTP Nagar last year. It is now frequented by swimmers in the city.
