The inauguration of work on the ₹1,528-crore Integrated Urban Regeneration and Water Transport System (IURWTS) Project in the city that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will do on Monday, will kickstart what is perhaps one of the largest brownfield projects undertaken by any State government to restore inland canals for water transport, tourism, and recreational purposes.
The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has been entrusted with the responsibility of executing the project wherein a network of six canals spread over 34.75 km will be made navigable.
They are Edappally canal (11.15 km), Chilavanoor canal (11.23 km), Thevara–Perandoor canal (9.84 km), and Thevara canal (1.41 km), Market canal (0.66 km) and Konthuruthy canal (0.67 km).
The main components of the project include restoration of passenger transport by widening them to 16.50 metres and ensuring 4 metre vertical clearance.
The project will also have inter-modal connectivity with Kochi metro and Water Metro and will also serve to enhance last mile connectivity.
A total of 56 road overbridges (ROBs) and 31 foot overbridges (FOBs) will be reconstructed to make these canals navigable. In addition, sewerage treatment plants (STPs) and a sewer network will be developed, covering over 40% of Kochi Corporation area.
Environmentally sustainable development initiatives like electric boats for passenger transport and land-based solar panels to recharge them will reduce the total carbon footprint. Afforestation and sustainable shore-protection measures too will be adopted, KMRL sources said.
Rehabilitation
The first of the activities envisaged is to provide proper rehabilitation to the project affected people who have been living in dilapidated conditions adjacent to these canals. Construction of the first complex of 280 dwelling units will start shortly at Adarsh Nagar Road, Thuthiyoor, and Kakkanad for which contract has already been awarded.
