The flooded Kothuwal Street at Chala on Monday following heavy rains in Thiruvananthapuram.
| Photo Credit: S. MAHINSHA
Vehicles wade through a flooded road near Killippalam on Monday following heavy rain in Thiruvananthapuram.
| Photo Credit: S. MAHINSHA
A flooded street at Chala on Monday following heavy rains, in Thiruvananthapuram.
| Photo Credit: S. MAHINSHA
The flooded Kothuwal Street at Chala on Monday following heavy rains in Thiruvananthapuram.
| Photo Credit: S. MAHINSHA
In and around Chala market, the city’s commercial hub, experienced waterlogging for the second day running due to a heavy overnight rain on Monday. This led to flooding of some shops and homes in the region, consequently trade was affected since customers avoided going to the flooded market. This resulted into flooding in most areas after the major drains around Killipalam-Attakulangara stretch had been cleared by the Corporation authorities.
On Monday, Chala market as well as Kothuval Street and Sabapathy Koil Street remained under water.
The area has been witnessing Smart City Related works for almost six months now. After voicing our concerns over delay, they were given 2 months grace period but it is still ongoing. Today a couple of visitors fell down in a water filled pit at that place. As much as 8-10 shops had floodwater entering causing huge losses whereas there are many wholesale shops here so there are several trucks here taking the road but they cannot reach there because of these works,” says Vijayakumar secretary of Grain Merchants Association.
Crane deployed
According to corporation officers, some slabs near Ramachandran Textiles shop had fallen into main drain along Killipalam – Attakulangara route thereby blocking storm water flow from areas like Chala Market, Ganga Nagar, Karimadom Colony,Yamuna Nagar etc into Thekkanakara Canal which is an old canal from pre-independence era that runs into Parvathy Puthanar . The concrete and waste materials that blocked its path were dismantled using a crane by evening thus reopening it partially again.
However according to Corporation’s engineering wing assessment done regarding Thekkanakara Canal indicates that it has inadequate carrying capacity during prolonged rainy spells. Irrigation department officils have already been directed to clear up all issues pertaining to canal before anything else.
Improper alignment
On Monday, due to the rain, parts of a wall at Barton Hill collapsed. The same problem was experienced for two consecutive days in some sections of the Kazhakuttom-Karode National Highway bypass as well as on Kadakampally Road which is one of its sides and other parts of service road. These issues will continue persisting until storm water drains are wrongly aligned and natural water courses are interrupted.
There have been problems for the residents of these areas as well as people who often use to commute through their way since works related to laying underground ducts for smart city along many major roads like Vanchiyoor-General Hospital Road and Vazhuthacaud-Thycaud Road are underway. Now, the much delayed work in these areas has come almost to a stop, because the pits dug out for this ducting work are now full with water.
This week mayor Arya Rajendran organized an all party meeting besides meetings with engineering and health wing officials to look into the issues regarding water logging and pre monsoon cleaning drives. The engineering wing has been split into six groups that will look into identification while addressing various reasons which led to waterlogging in different places.
Control room
The other thing that was examined was the follow-up action taken after receiving complaints at the 24 hour control room. Furthermore, there will be an extra Rs. 25,000 for each ward to hire pump sets and trim tree branches in addition to the funds allocated towards pre-monsoon cleaning of areas. IMD has issued an orange alert for heavy rain in the district till Wednesday.
