KOCHI: The much-awaited Rs 14.5-crore Pottachal canal flood mitigation project at Kalamassery, implemented under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative, was launched on Monday. The project is expected to bring lasting relief to the residents of Pottachal, Cusat area, and nearby places that have faced recurring waterlogging and flooding during heavy rains.
Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine, who inaugurated the project at Manoppilly Nagar, said the initiative will eliminate flooding in the low-lying areas of Kalamassery by reviving the natural flow of the Pottachal canal. “With the widening and deepening of the canal, its water-carrying capacity will be restored. The project was finalised after detailed water mapping and expert studies,” the minister said. “The Rebuild Kerala framework has enabled us to design technically sound and environmentally resilient flood mitigation projects,” he added.
Industries Minister P Rajeeve, who presided over the function, said the Pottachal canal project is an example of what can be achieved when all stakeholders rise above political differences. “This is a people-driven effort made possible because everyone — from local representatives to residents — stood united to address a common issue.
Once completed, the project will completely eliminate flooding in densely populated localities such as Pottachal and Cusat,” he said. The water resources minister also announced a series of related infrastructure projects in the region.
To tackle the 18-lakh-litre daily water shortage in Kalamassery, a 19-crore-litre capacity water tank supported by the Asian Development Bank is nearing completion. “Once operational, 40 lakh litres of water will be reserved exclusively for Kalamassery,” he said.
Meanwhile, a 20-lakh-litre storage tank being built at Cusat under the AMRUT project will soon be inaugurated, providing a permanent solution to the drinking water scarcity from Kangarappady to Thevakkal. In coastal protection, the minister said the second phase of the `306-crore tetrapod sea wall project at Chellanam would begin soon.
Rebuild Kerala initiative
Cost: Rs 14.5 crore
Area: Pottachal–Cusat–Manoppilly
Focus: Canal widening–deepening
Agency: Rebuild Kerala/Water Resources Department
Completion: 18-month target
