KOCHI: Just a couple of hours of rain on Sunday evening was enough to paralyse major roads in Tripunithura, causing widespread waterlogging. The sudden deluge not only held up traffic but also left hundreds of pilgrims, who were visiting the famed Poornathrayeesa temple for the annual Vrischikolsavam festival, stranded for hours.
The main road, from Vadakkekotta, leading to the temple was among the worst affected. Pedestrians were forced to wade through knee-high water, while a few vehicles got stuck.
“The absence of a scientific drainage system is resulting in the sudden inundation,” said Jayendran V C, convenor of TRURA (Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents Associations), an apex body of residents’ associations in Tripunithura municipality.
A specific instance involves a municipality-built drainage opposite the NSS School, which drains water to the Padinjare Puzha. Critically, the starting point of the drainage is positioned higher than the one constructed by the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd from Vadakkekotta. This simple elevation difference forces stormwater to flow onto the road instead of being channelled away. Jayendran attributed the rapid flooding to blocked drains and demanded their desilting and widening on a war footing.
The worst affected areas are Palliparambukavu and M K K Nair Nagar, near East Fort. The existing drainage channels running up to Andhakara Thodu are now blocked by encroachments, severely obstructing stormwater flow and causing widespread flooding.
“For the past several years, TRURA has been campaigning for the cleaning and improvement of drains. We even organised a special convention in 2021, following which the then MLA, M Swaraj, promised to allocate `25 lakh for the work. However, the municipality failed to take any initiative or put up a formal proposal for the fund,” Jayendran alleged.
Pilgrims face hardship, but rain fails to dull festive spirit
The downpour and subsequent inundation caused severe hardship to pilgrims, but the festive spirit of Vrischikolsavam at the Tripunithura temple remained intact.
“In the absence of proper drainage, the entrance to the temple was fully flooded, with footwear floating in the water. But as soon as the rain subsided, around 8pm, the crowd returned to enjoy the majestic daily processions (ezhunnellippu) with caparisoned elephants and traditional percussion ensembles,” said Sunil Mappat, an ardent devotee and a local resident.
Poor drainage a poll issue
The recurring flooding has now become a major political weapon for the opposition against the ruling LDF. Congress leader Sabarigireesan, the Chakkamkulangara councillor, termed the drainage system “pathetic”. He also highlighted the danger posed by open drains and damaged concrete slabs to pedestrians, especially during rain, in areas like Statue Junction.
“I’ve raised the issue many times in council meetings, but no effective action was taken. Open drains posing a threat to pedestrians can be seen in many areas like Statue Junction or near the Mini Civil Station itself,” Sabarigireesan said.
With a historic festival being overshadowed by poor infrastructure, residents and devotees are calling for immediate and long-term solutions to fix the town’s neglected drainage network. While the issue remains a hot topic, Tripunithura municipal chairperson Rema Santosh was unavailable for comment.