Encroachments a hurdle for drainage

Soon after assuming office, Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain and Deputy Mayor T.J. Vinod had announced that one of the topmost priorities of the new council was implementing a drainage master plan, including reconstruction and desilting of canals.

However, all the earlier attempts for clearing the encroachments, especially along the Thevara-Perandoor and Edappally canals have been failed.

Though the previous corporation council had announced a Total Station survey to mark the boundaries of all canals in the city, it did not succeed.

The majority of the boundary walls of the canals are dilapidated with many parts encroached upon. Most of them have become dumping grounds where mosquitoes and rats breed. There are apprehensions over the feasibility of evicting encroachers as there are big commercial and residential apartments along the banks of the canals.

“Though the previous council had submitted a project proposal for revitalising the arterial canals in the city, including identification of boundary and reconstruction of walls, under the transition phase of JNNURM, the DPR has been rejected,” said sources in the corporation.

Meanwhile, the deputy mayor said that the master plan aimed at comprehensive restructuring of canals and drains, including eviction of illegal encroachments.

The district administration in 2013 had constituted a special task force to identify the boundary of Edappally canal. Though the task force started surveying the 10.5- km-long canal to assess its width based on survey documents and demarcate it with boundary stones, the work has not been completed.