With the water level in the Idukki reservoir fast receding to a historic low, an old settlement that once served as a bustling township has resurfaced from water.
Vairamani, once a major town in Idukki, was evicted to accommodate the State’s biggest hydroelectric project that was eventually commissioned in 1976.
A Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) dam safety official said the old Thodupuzha-Puliyanmala road passed through Vairamani. “In its heydays as a township, Vairamani had a church, cinema theatre, forest station, school, and many shops,” said the official.
“When the Kulamavu reservoir that is part of the Idukki reservoir was filled with water, Vairamani village became history. The villagers were evicted beforehand as part of the project. Now, the road from Thodupuzha to Puliyanmala passes over the Kulamavu dam,” said the official.
When the water level recedes below 2,310 ft, the remains of the Vairamani village becomes visible. “The old road fully resurfaced when the water level drops below 2,300 ft,” said the official.
Before the commissioning of the dam, the sight of vehicles moving through Vairamani village was so much a common sight, Anachalil Papachen, an 83-year-old taxi driver in Thodupuzha, said.
“Vairamani was one of the major human settlements in the district. The high range forest route was connected through Vairamani to Cheruthoni. On our way from Thodupuzha to Cheruthoni, the vehicle took a brief stopover at Vairamani, before proceeding to Cheruthoni. My taxi jeep had passed many times through Vairamani village,” said Mr Pappachen.
“After the dam’s commissioning, the remains of the village has emerged over water for around 20 times. Before the commissioning, the workers of the Idukki hydroelectric project used to stay at Vairamani,” said the KSEB official.
Meanwhile, the water level in Idukki reservoir is moving to a shallow storage level. The level on Friday stood at 2,305.42 ft, which is 13.71% of the total storage capacity. The level on the same day last year was 2,338.10 ft (36.05%).
