THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the southwest monsoon expected to intensify over the state in the coming days, concerns over recurring urban flooding in the state capital looms large. The downpour on Saturday has once again exposed the city’s vulnerability, with clogged canals, particularly the Amayizhanchan canal, raising concerns of severe waterlogging and disease outbreaks.
Despite the announcement of a Rs 200 crore urban flood mitigation project in 2024, it is yet to move beyond the planning stage. While the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is expected to contribute Rs 150 crore, the remaining amount has to be borne by the state government. Though the detailed project report (DPR) was submitted to the Union government in 2024, the project is yet to receive final approval.
Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) member secretary Shekar Lukose Kuriakose told TNIE that the proposal is currently awaiting further processing at the Centre. “The project has to be examined by the technical advisory committee before further steps are taken,” he said.
Nearly six months after the BJP-led council assumed office at the corporation, the project has seen little progress. Despite the looming flood threat, the civic body is yet to follow up the project and expedite its implementation.
Mayor V V Rajesh said that the corporation is not entirely satisfied with the existing proposal. “I don’t think the project, in its present form, is adequate to fully address the flood threat faced by the capital. There needs to be better coordination among various departments. The entire canal network has to be streamlined, and a more comprehensive project is required,” he said.
The mayor also said that the discussions on flood mitigation measures will be taken up with the chief minister. “We will definitely pursue Central funding. At the same time, the chief minister’s office has to ensure better coordination among departments, while the corporation will supervise the implementation of a comprehensive flood mitigation project,” said Rajesh.
Meanwhile, a series of meetings were held on Monday to discuss both short-term and long-term measures to tackle urban flooding. The discussions were attended by Minister C P John, district collector and representatives of various stakeholder departments.
According to the irrigation department officials, the DPR submitted to the NDMA already incorporates the key interventions required to address the capital’s flooding issues. “We have submitted a proposal worth Rs 1 crore for emergency flood mitigation works. However, it will take around a month to complete the tendering process and begin the work,” said an official.
