THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The construction activities initiated as part of the redevelopment of Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, allegedly encroaching on a portion of the Amayizhanchan Canal near the tunnel, has sparked concerns.
With pillars erected on the retaining walls of the canal, the irrigation department alleged that the work has been undertaken without getting a ‘no objection certificate’ from the department.
Adding to the criticism, Thampanoor councillor R Harikumar alleged that the work close to the canal is being carried out without permission from the city corporation.
“This portion of the canal is the most clogged and a critical waste accumulation spot. The Railways are planning to construct a structure above the canal after erecting pillars. This raises a lot of concern about the cleaning and maintenance of the canal. Sanitation worker Joy died while cleaning this canal,” Harikumar said.
He said a memorandum objecting to this work will be given to MP Shashi Tharoor.
The irrigation department alleged that despite repeated warnings, the railway authorities are continuing with the work unilaterally.
“We are trying for a high-level meeting with the railway authorities to flag these concerns,” said an official with the irrigation department, adding that a further covering of the canal stretch could significantly complicate future maintenance and escalate costs.
“Cleaning an open canal stretch costs roughly Rs 1 lakh and the expenses rise drastically when the stretch is covered. The department spent nearly Rs 62 lakh to clean the 117-metre tunnel section during the previous cleaning operation. When the covered area increases, the maintenance will become increasingly difficult, time consuming, and resource intensive,” the official pointed out.
As an alternative, the department has proposed a long-term solution involving the use of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology to lay a parallel underground pipeline within the Railways compound. This would allow diversion of water during maintenance, enabling faster and more efficient cleaning, the official said.
The proposal, estimated at around Rs 1.25 crore for a 117-metre stretch, could go up to Rs 1.5 crore if extended. “The Railways should bear the cost and also provide a permanent ramp for machinery access. We are not opposing development. But necessary provisions must be included to ensure that maintenance can be carried out effectively in the future,” the official added.
When contacted, the railway authorities maintained that the redevelopment project launched jointly by the state and the Centre will not disrupt the Amayizhanchan Canal in any way.
“We have been offering all assistance to the irrigation department to undertake cleaning activities of the canal portion on the railway premises,” said a Railways official.
