A high-level delegation, including Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ (MoRTH) Kerala head B.T. Sridhara, visited Kollam to find a permanent solution to waterlogging in the Chathannur-Paravur-Paripally road, which is being renovated spending ₹22.2 crore from the Central Road Fund.
During site inspection technical experts found that the water should be diverted from the National Highway through the road to the nearby polder.
Since funds for national highway development cannot technically be spent on constructing drainage on panchayat roads, ₹10 lakh from N.K.Premachadran MP’s Local Area Development Scheme fund and ₹10 lakh from G.S.Jayalal, MLA’s Asset Development will be used for that.
Experts also recommended to construct a 4 meters long and 3 meter deep culvert across the road to ensure water flow from Polachira polder to the the backwaters without causing any difficulty for farmers during the rainy season.
The officials have been instructed to prepare the design and estimate for this urgently and take immediate action to implement the work.
Officials were also asked to take remedial measures after considering complaints from various places so that there is no waterlogging on the road being renovated.
N.K. Premachandran, MP, G S. Jayalal, MLA, Kalluvathukkal panchayat president Rajani Rajan, Chirakkara panchayat president Subi Parameswaran and other officials were also present.