KOCHI: History sleeps in the idyllic streets of Mattanchery. The place is known for the 16th-century Mattanchery Palace, built by the Portuguese in traditional Kerala style; Jew Town; the Jewish Synagogue; charming cafes and shops selling antiques, crafts and spices; besides the colonial buildings that stand shoulder to shoulder with religious ones, including mosques, churches, Hindu shrines and the ornate Jain Temple. Though Mattanchery has historical importance, it remains neglected. One prime example of the neglect is the waterlogging plaguing Synagogue Lane at Jew Town.
“The problem is a persistent one. Of course, we can understand if waterlogging happens due to heavy rain. But the problem at Synagogue Lane is different. The road gets flooded every time the drain connecting the sewers from Jew Town to the main canal gets blocked. Dirty water overflows onto the road leading to the Paradesi Synagogue,” said a shopkeeper at Jew Town, who didn’t want to be named fearing repercussions from local political leaders.
According to him, the issue has not been a recent one. “We have been facing it for the past 15 years. We have made representations and filed complaints. But all of them have come to nought,” he added. Another merchant at Jew Town said, “The drain that leads to the main drain network located underneath A P Salem Road is very narrow and has a lot of cables and pipes running inside,” he said.“All of these cables and pipes further narrow the width of the drain besides trapping plastic bags and bottles. Once, the plastic wastes accumulate, they hinder the smooth flow of water and all of it overflows onto the street,” he said.
According to him, the problem can be solved only if the drain from Jew Town is widened and brought to the level of the main canal.“Also, the drain lies nearly one-and-a-half feet under the road. This makes matters worse. When we approached the PWD division, we came to know that Synagogue Lane and A P Salem Road come under two different divisions. Also, the corporation has washed its hands of pointing out that Synagogue Lane is a private road,” he said.
Councillor P K Ashraf said, “The issue is a recent one. I have been a councillor of the ward for the past 14 years, but I never came across any complaints regarding waterlogging at Synagogue Lane. On Thursday too, a resident came to see me about the matter only by noon. By that time, the contingency workers of the corporation had left.
“I have assured the residents and shopkeepers that the problem will be looked into on Friday morning when the workers report for duty,” he added.According to him, the road is a private one and it has been paved with a particular type of stone. “To investigate the issue, we need to remove the stones which has to be done very carefully. So the matter needs careful study and planning,” said Ashraf.