A permanent solution to the flooding of low-lying areas of the capital city and growth of water hyacinth in Veli-Akkulam lake is on the anvil with decks being cleared finally for the construction of breakwaters at Veli estuary.
The project, conceived in 2009 by the Harbour Engineering Department, had run into rough weather as concerns were raised about environmental impact of the two breakwaters, swallowing of beaches from Valiyaveli to Thumba, and the fisherfolk raising concern over their livelihood.
With the busy transport nodes of Thampanoor and East Fort getting flooded again in the cloudburst this week despite the flood mitigation measures and the boat services of District Tourism Promotion Council resuming from Akkulam tourist village after five years, the need to expedite the construction of breakwaters at Veli has assumed significance.
₹22-crore project
The pre-qualification bids floated by the department for the two breakwaters is to be opened on September 14, official sources told The Hindu on Friday. The cost of the ambitious project, which has already got the clearance of the Union Environment Ministry, has gone up to ₹22 crore.
Tetrapods, each weighing between five and 10 tonnes, will be used for the construction. Each breakwater will have a length of 200 m and will be separated by a width of 130 m and built at acute angles with respect to the shore line.
The breakwaters would ensure that the estuary remains open to the sea all year round thereby drastically reducing the flooding of low- lying areas. The formation of sandbar results in the stagnation of water from the various canals and accumulation of waste — aiding the growth of water hyacinth in Veli and Akkulam lake — hampering boat rides.
During emergencies such as flooding of the low-lying areas, the sandbar separating the sea from the river is opened manually by the district administration to let out the accumulating flood waters. For commencing boat operations after five years, the DTPC authorities had removed the water hyacinth and one of the bunds, created beneath the Akkulam bridge, was removed by NHAI.
“The lake bed is full of plastic and other waste that has reached through the canals and the boats are cruising carefully. The breakwater and a sewerage treatment plant are the only permanent solutions. The water hyacinth would be eliminated once a continuous flow of water from the lake to the sea takes place,” says T.V. Prasanth, CEO, Akkulam Destination Management Council.