The Hindu         14.03.2011

Canal planned to drain floodwater from city

Pending work: The flanks of the Sahodaran Ayyappan Road have been left unattended after the relaying of the stretch. — Photo: H. Vibhu

Trial digging for a major canal for diverting floodwater from the city will begin shortly. The civic authorities are planning to construct a major drain from near the Medical Trust Hospital junction through Arun's Corner on MG Road to Warriam Road and from there to the Kochi backwaters for draining the floodwater.

As several underground oil pipelines have been laid in the area, trial digging will have to be carried out before initiating the canal work, said Soumini Jain, chairperson, works standing committee, Kochi Corporation.

This is the shortest route to drain the floodwater from the city to the Kochi backwaters. The canal could be constructed through this route without taking much turns and curves. This would ensure unhindered flow of floodwater through the drain, freeing the city of water logging to a considerable extent, she said.

As important thoroughfares would have to be cut open for digging the drain, vehicular movement in the area might be affected partially, she said.

The laying of tiles on the flanks of the Sahodaran Ayyappan road would commence after the completion of the drain work. The road had been re-laid at a width of 7.5 metre each on both sides of the median leaving the flanks unattended. The construction of the drains on the flanks of the road could be undertaken after clearing the cables laid by various service providers in the area. The Kochi Corporation had been coordinating these for the purpose, Ms. Jain said.

Ms. Jain said that most of the city roads had been repaired and made motorable using the plan fund of the corporation. The repair work of almost all major roads was completed and some were in the final stages. All the works implemented using the plan fund would have to be completed before March 31, she said.

Chittoor road

The repeated efforts of the Kochi Corporation to take up the relaying of the Chittoor road failed as there were no takers for the work. The tender for the Rs.52-lakh work was floated twice but no one came forward for taking it up. However patchworks were carried out on the road to make it motorable. Efforts were being taken to get the work included in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission project. A proposal for relaying the stretch with a five-year guarantee was also under the consideration, she said.

As the model code of conduct was in force, the initiation of new projects would be possible only after the Assembly election.

The corporation had been focusing for completing the works that were cleared earlier, she said.