KANNIYAKUMARI: Farmers’ associations have alleged that the NHAI’s four-laning project in Kanniyakumari district has affected waterbodies at many places. They demanded the immediate restoration of waterbodies so that there is no hindrance to irrigation. However, NHAI sources claimed suitable structures have been provided at all waterbodies so that drainage and water flow were not hindered even as restoration works were still going on.
Kodayar Irrigation System Project Committee Chairman A Wins Anto said pipes, canals and waterbodies meant for irrigation had been affected in more than 100 places including Ananthanar west channel, Panachakulam Odai, Uppathu Odai among others due to the roadworks and bridgeworks undertaken by the NHAI in the district. CPM district executive committee members and Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam district secretary R Ravi said that such works had damaged waterbodies in Nattalam, Mullankanavilai and other places.
A farmer S Viji from Chunkankadai said “a water canal taking water to the Ayykiyananakulam tank and eight other irrigation tanks situated in and around Chunkankadai had been closed earlier as a service road was being built in the area. After a struggle, it was opened temporarily.”
He further said that the canal should not be closed in future so that 900 acres of agriculture fields can be irrigated smoothly.
NHAI project authorities said 25 ponds/tanks have been restored to its original condition after the completion of bridgeworks at locations of waterbodies. Also restoration works on the remaining ponds/ tanks are in progress. At present, bridgeworks have been substantially completed at various waterbody locations, they added.
The four-laning project incorporated more than 260 cross-drainage structures, including 31 major bridges, 37 minor bridges, 5 aqueducts and several culverts. These are necessary to maintain natural drainage and hydraulic connectivity, officials said. During execution, NHAI has also considered location-specific requests from the WRD and local farmers and incorporated additional hydraulic facilities wherever possible, they added.
NHAI sources said that the 54 km project from Chenkavilai near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border to Kanniyakumari had been going on since 2016 with a sanctioned cost of Rs 2,300 crore. Though the project was scheduled to be completed in 2018 it got delayed and was terminated in 2022 due to delay in land acquisition as well as shortage of soil for earthwork.
The remaining works with additional major/minor bridges were awarded to another construction company in March 2023 with a sanctioned cost of Rs 1,565 crore and 85 percent of work had been achieved till now.