KOCHI: In the aftermath of the 2024 landslides that devastated Mundakkai and Chooralmala, killing over 230 people and destroying more than 2,000 homes, the challenge before the Kerala government was not merely reconstruction. It was speed, to restore some sense of normalcy. And to rebuild.
The conventional procedures within the government were however inadequate to accommodate this demand for speed. In fact, if the project were to go by the standard process, it could have stretched into years. Something had to give.
“So the government introduced a distinct administrative model that did away with old norms and injected speed into the system,” said S Suhas, special officer of the Kalpetta Township Project, the rehabilitation programme to provide permanent housing for the landslide survivors.
Indeed, rather than relying solely on the traditional file circulation hierarchy, a parallel coordination mechanism was instituted. A high-level committee chaired by the chief minister handled policy alignment and operational reviews under the chief secretary ensured technical and financial bottlenecks were addressed at fixed intervals. But the crucial shift was procedural.
“Before files formally entered the approval chain, officials across departments were briefed collectively through structured review meetings. Queries, objections and technical clarifications were deliberated on and resolved in advance, before the file concerned reached an officer’s desk. This reduced back-and-forth movement and compressed approval timelines without bypassing due process,” Suhas, who had earlier served as Wayanad district collector, told TNIE.
The same streamlining extended to fund disbursal as well. Financial approvals were integrated into review platforms, and every rupee spent was subject to audit.
“This system ensured smooth execution even in the face of land issues and monsoon disruptions,” the officer said.
But it was not enough to hastily rebuild some temporary relief. “We had to build back better,” he said.
That meant enabling the disaster-affected to rebuild dignified, self-reliant lives with access to all essential personal and social amenities.
Therefore, the township project also included facilities like a market, anganwadi, community hall, memorial, solar power systems for every home, waste management centres, football ground, etc.