Kochi: The perennial issue of waterlogging in central city during monsoon will be a thing of the past this year as the desilting of Mullassery Canal will be taken up under the technical guidance of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation principal advisor E. Sreedharan.
Pre-monsoon cleaning works will begin from Thursday and are expected to complete in one and half months.
“The traditional system of Pettiyum Parayum at the Mullassery Canal, the de-watering tool used to pump water from low lying areas into the backwaters, will be removed," a DMRC source said.
“A high capacity jet pump which will drain water from the canal to backwaters during high tide will replace it. Once the 1.5 km long canal is de-silted, water logging in MG Road and areas near KSRTC bus station can be avoided.”
The cleaning works will begin from the site near Children’s Park where the canal has a width of 12 metres.
The City Corporation has earlier decided to scrap all the Pettiyum Parayum considering the huge expense incurred for maintaining the instruments.
And the instruments installed at various canals failed in preventing flooding during monsoon.
Meanwhile, the City Corporation has started tendering for desilting and cleaning of small canals and drains to save the city from waterlogging.
As the weathermen forecast a normal monsoon this year, unless intensive cleaning is not carried out city areas will be submerged during the first spell of rains.
“Tenders have been invited for cleaning small canals and drains in divisions. However, cleaning of big ones like TP Canal has not been finalised yet since it requires technical sanction from the government,” said Gracy Joseph, development committee chairperson.
Earlier, the civic contractors were reluctant to participate in tender procedures of pre-monsoon cleaning works. But the civic authorities through negotiations could make them undertake them.
